World Cup 2026: We expect to suffer against Ghana – Panama coach Thomas Christiansen

Panama head coach Thomas Christiansen has admitted his side will face a tough challenge when they take on Ghana in their opening Group L fixture at the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Wednesday, June 17.

The Central American nation enters the tournament full of confidence after significant progress under the Danish manager. Despite having a strong team, Christiansen believes his team must be prepared for a difficult battle against the Black Stars.

"We have seen the matches here at the World Cup, they have been incredibly tight, and you cannot really say that one is less than another.

"There are times where you're going to be suffering, you're going to be enduring, you're going to be up against huge squads, but you're going to be suffering as a group," the 53-year-old coach said.

Since taking charge in 2020, Christiansen has overseen a remarkable transformation in Panama's fortunes. Under his leadership, Los Canaleros have climbed from 81st to 34th in the FIFA rankings, establishing themselves as a competitive force on the international stage.

The match between Ghana and Panama is scheduled to kick off at 23:00GMT.