Ghana v Panama prediction, lineups & tips: World Cup 2026 Group L

Ghana and Panama meet at BMO Field in Toronto on Wednesday night knowing that this FIFA World Cup 2026 Group L fixture is, in all practical terms, their best chance of three points. England and Croatia sit in the same group. Lose here, and the path to the knockout round becomes almost impossible for either side. Win, and everything opens up.

Ghana arrive at their fifth World Cup in chaos of their own making. Otto Addo, the man who guided the Black Stars through CAF qualifying unbeaten, seven wins and a draw from eight matches to top Group I by six points, was sacked 72 days before the tournament after a catastrophic run of four straight friendly defeats, including a 5-1 hammering by Austria and a 2-1 loss to Germany in March. Carlos Queiroz, 73, was handed the job on 13 April, just two months before kick-off, making him, as ESPN noted, the third head coach in history to manage at five World Cups.

The late-arriving Queiroz has spoken candidly about the challenge of forging an identity in so little time. "We've got the task of connecting players that have a French philosophy of the game with those who have English and Spanish ones," he told reporters on the eve of the match. "It has not been easy, but it's been very rewarding to do because our players have been very cooperative."

Senior figures Jordan Ayew and Thomas Partey are absent for the opener. Partey was denied entry to Canada by immigration authorities and remains at the squad's Boston training base, while Ayew is suspended. Alexander Djiku captains the side in Ayew's absence. Ghana have not won a match since beating Comoros in their final qualifier in October 2025, a run of seven games without victory.

Panama are making only their second World Cup appearance, eight years after their debut in Russia where they finished bottom of their group, losing all three matches to Belgium, England and Tunisia. Thomas Christiansen's side are far better prepared this time. Under his management since July 2020, Panama reached the 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup final, the 2024 Copa America quarter-finals, the 2025 CONCACAF Nations League final, and qualified for this tournament without losing a single game. They are unbeaten across CONCACAF qualifying and arrive with a 26-man squad in which 16 players have won 50 or more caps.

Captain Aníbal Godoy leads from the middle. The 36-year-old San Diego FC anchorman holds 157 international appearances, a national record, and provides the defensive spine around which Panama are built. Winger Ismael Díaz is the creative outlet; he won the Golden Boot at last year's Gold Cup, scoring twice as many goals as any other player. Amir Murillo, the Besiktas right-back, ranked second for expected assists across CONCACAF qualifying with 2.6. The concern for Panama is Adalberto Carrasquilla. The Pumas playmaker suffered a muscle injury before the tournament and is unlikely to start, which removes their main connection between defence and attack.

Queiroz pulled no punches at his pre-match press conference on Tuesday. Asked directly whether the Panama game was a must-win, he replied: "I never remember in my life playing a game that was not a must-win. The only medicine that works in football is to win." His assessment of the opposition was honest rather than dismissive. "Panama has some weaknesses," he added. "We need to find them, and I believe we have the solution to their strengths. We're strong, and we'll showcase our strengths in the game."

Ghana v Panama kicks off at midnight BST on Thursday, 18 June (7pm ET on Wednesday, 17 June). The match is live on ITV1 in the UK, with a free stream via ITVX. Fox Sports carries the broadcast in the United States.