Both Panama and Croatia are staring down the barrel after opening-round defeats in Group L, making this World Cup clash at BMO Field in Toronto a genuine elimination match. The loser is almost certainly heading home.

Croatia went down 4-2 to England in a wild affair in Dallas, twice pulling level before being blown away in the second half. Panama, meanwhile, dominated possession against Ghana but couldn't find the net, conceding a heartbreaking stoppage-time winner to lose 1-0.

It was Panama's fourth straight World Cup defeat across two tournaments, and their toothless finishing will be a massive concern heading into this one.

Manager Zlatko Dalic has confirmed Croatia will ditch the back three that England tore apart and revert to a more familiar four-man defence.

Ante Budimir is expected to lead the line in place of Petar Musa, with Mateo Kovacic likely to slot into midfield alongside the ageless Luka Modric.

These are the kind of changes that suggest Croatia have identified exactly what went wrong and have the personnel to fix it.

Panama held 62% possession against Ghana and completed over 500 passes, but that flattering stat line masked a lack of genuine cutting edge.

They simply could not break Ghana down in open play, and now they face a Croatian side with significantly more quality across the park. Captain Anibal Godoy brings experience at 36, but the fitness of star midfielder Adalberto Carrasquilla remains a doubt after he only recently returned to training.

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Panama vs Croatia Prediction

Croatia should get the job done here. As our Panama vs Croatia betting odds page shows, Dalic's tactical reset to a back four should bring far more stability, and the gulf in squad quality is hard to ignore.

Panama's World Cup record reads played four, lost four, scored two. They showed against Ghana that they can hold the ball nicely, but holding the ball and hurting teams are two very different things.

We're backing Croatia to win as our main pick. They have elite midfield talent, a clear plan to address their defensive issues, and the desperate motivation of a team that knows defeat means an early flight home. Panama will be equally desperate, but desperation without firepower only gets you so far.

Our second pick is under 2.5 goals. Panama simply could not score against a Ghana defence that is well below Croatia's level.

Their possession-heavy style also tends to slow the tempo, and Croatia will be far more cautious defensively after conceding four to England. A controlled 1-0 or 2-0 Croatian victory looks the most likely outcome. Expect Dalic to prioritise defensive solidity first and let his attacking quality do the rest.

Panama vs Croatia Team News & Line-ups

Predicted Panama line-up (3-4-3): Orlando Mosquera, César Blackman, Jiovany Ramos, José Córdoba, Amir Murillo, Carlos Harvey, Cristian Martínez, Andrés Andrade, Yoel Bárcenas, Cecilio Waterman, José Luis Rodriguez.

Panama are set to sit in a back three and look to frustrate before springing forward, having shown defensive resolve in previous outings.

Adalberto Carrasquilla is expected to miss out with a knock, Carlos Harvey is reportedly a doubt with a booking risk, while César Blackman is reportedly a doubt with a booking risk.

Predicted Croatia line-up (4-2-3-1): Dominik Livakovic, Josip Stanisic, Josip Sutalo, Duje Ćaleta-Car, Joško Gvardiol, Mateo Kovacic, Luka Modric, Petar Sucic, Martin Baturina, Ivan Perisic, Ante Budimir.

Croatia are expected to revert to a back four after struggling physically in their opener, with a double pivot shielding the defence.

Luka Vuskovic is reportedly a doubt with likely dropped for a back four, while Marin Pongračić is reportedly a doubt with competing for a centre-back spot.

Player Markets to Watch

Our pick: Ante Budimir to score anytime.

Dalic is bringing the Osasuna striker in specifically for his penalty-box instincts after Musa looked anonymous for most of the England match.

Budimir is a classic poacher who thrives on crosses and cutbacks, and Panama's defensive shape showed clear cracks in transition against Ghana.

If Croatia build sustained pressure, and they should, Budimir is the man most likely to be in the right spot at the right time.

Our pick: Andrej Kramaric to score anytime.

Kramaric has been in terrific international form with six recent goals for Croatia and carries a genuine goal threat from deeper positions.

Panama's defence will be focused on the centre-forward, which could leave space for Kramaric to arrive late into dangerous areas. He is a proven big-tournament performer and looks a strong option in the scorer markets.

Our pick: Luka Modric to register an assist.

At 40 years old and 199 caps deep, Modric remains Croatia's creative heartbeat. The switch to a back four should give him more freedom to pick passes in the final third, and with Budimir offering a clear target in the box, Modric's delivery from set pieces and open play could be the difference.

Panama will struggle to contain his movement and vision in central areas.

Panama vs Croatia Match Details

Date: Wednesday, June 24, 2026.

Kick-off: 9:00am AEST.

Location: BMO Field, Toronto.

Where to watch: Sportsbet, SBS.

Where to Watch Panama vs Croatia

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- Be 18+.

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World Cup streaming is available both in-app and on-web. As long as you meet the above requirements, you'll be able to tune in on your computer, tablet or phone.

To access the stream for Panama vs Croatia simply find your way to the official betting page for this match. Or, if you have a bet on the game you can watch from your "My Bets" section.

Traditional World Cup broadcaster SBS is also showing every World Cup match, meaning you can also watch Panama vs Croatia on either SBS, SBS Viceland or SBS On Demand.

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*Odds are subject to change.