The Black Stars of Ghana begin their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign tonight with a Group L fixture against Panama at BMO Field in Toronto, kicking off at 23:00 GMT.
Both teams head into the contest eager to set the tone for their tournament ambitions, with Ghana seeking stability after a turbulent build-up and Panama aiming to continue their steady rise on the international stage.
Ghana’s preparations have been far from ideal, with a string of inconsistent friendly results exposing defensive and attacking concerns.
The Black Stars are without a competitive win in their last seven matches, a run that includes defeats to Austria, Germany and Mexico, raising questions about their momentum heading into the global showpiece.
That downturn comes against the backdrop of broader disappointment for Ghanaian football, following the national team’s failure to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time in 20 years. Still, there is optimism that a strong World Cup showing could help reset the narrative.
The Black Stars booked their place at the tournament in convincing fashion, topping their CAF qualifying group with eight wins, one draw and a single defeat, finishing six points clear of Madagascar.
However, head coach Otto Addo departed after qualification, paving the way for Carlos Queiroz to take charge in March.
Queiroz, experienced at the highest level after multiple World Cup campaigns, has been tasked with steadying a team searching for identity and consistency on the global stage.
Panama arrive with growing confidence after a solid qualification campaign in CONCACAF, where they went unbeaten in the second round to secure their place at the tournament.
While they struggled in early friendlies—highlighted by a heavy defeat to Brazil at the Maracanã—the Central American side have shown resilience and tactical organisation under Thomas Christiansen.
At their previous World Cup appearance in 2018, Panama exited at the group stage without a win. This time, they are targeting a first-ever progression to the knockout rounds, buoyed by the expanded tournament format.
Form
Ghana form (all competitions):
L L L L L L D
Panama form (all competitions):
L D W L W D
Team News
Ghana will be without midfielder Thomas Partey, who has been ruled out of the squad due to visa complications linked to ongoing legal proceedings in the United Kingdom.
Aside from that absence, Queiroz has a full squad available, with Jordan Ayew expected to lead the attack alongside Ernest Nuamah and Antoine Semenyo.
For Panama, midfielder Adalberto Carrasquilla remains a doubt after missing recent friendlies through injury, though he has returned to training and could feature from the bench. Veteran AnÃbal Godoy continues to anchor the side as one of their most experienced figures.
Expected line-ups
Ghana: Ati-Zigi; Senaya, Adjetey, Opoku, Mensah; Owusu, Yirenkyi; Nuamah, Boakye, Semenyo; Ayew.
Panama: Mosquera; Ramos, Córdoba, Andrade, Murillo; Godoy, Harvey; Davis, RodrÃguez, DÃaz; Fajardo.
Prediction
Ghana 1-1 Panama
Ghana enter the match as slight favourites on paper, but their recent form suggests a tightly contested opener, with Panama well positioned to take advantage of any early uncertainty.
