Already eliminated from the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Panama will be playing for pride and history when they face England at MetLife Stadium. While the Canal Men are still searching for their first-ever point at the tournament, the Three Lions have their sights firmly set on securing top spot in Group L with a convincing victory.

Panama’s World Cup campaign has been a disappointing one despite showing flashes of promise. They were unfortunate to suffer a narrow 1-0 defeat against Ghana in their opening match before producing an underwhelming display in another 1-0 loss to Croatia, managing just one shot on target. Those results extended an unwanted record, making Panama only the sixth nation in FIFA World Cup history to lose each of their first five matches at the finals.

With just two victories in their last nine matches across all competitions (D3, L4), Thomas Christiansen’s side have nothing but pride to play for. However, avoiding defeat would see Panama collect their first-ever World Cup point, providing a memorable end to an otherwise difficult campaign.

England, meanwhile, were left frustrated after a goalless draw with Ghana denied them the chance to secure qualification with a game to spare. Despite dominating possession and chances, Thomas Tuchel’s men lacked the cutting edge required to find a breakthrough. Even so, the draw represented just their third failure to win in their last 12 internationals (W9, D2, L1), underlining the consistency they have shown under the German manager.

The Three Lions have also been remarkably reliable in the final group-stage fixture of the World Cup, losing only one of their last 14 matchday-three encounters (W8, D5). A victory here would almost certainly guarantee first place in Group L and provide valuable momentum heading into the knockout rounds.

The two nations have met only once before at a World Cup, with England producing a memorable 6-1 victory during the group stage in Russia 2018. That match also saw Panama score their first-ever World Cup goal.

Recent trends suggest England remain defensively solid, with only two of their last eight matches producing over 2.5 goals. Panama have also struggled in front of goal, failing to score in three of their five World Cup fixtures, while three of their last four defeats have come by a narrow 1-0 scoreline.

Panama will hope experienced wing-back Amir Murillo can make an impact after leading his side with three shots against Croatia, while Marcus Rashford could be handed a starting role for England. The forward has already scored four World Cup goals for his country, with only three England players finding the net more often at the tournament.

Neither side has any major injury concerns, although England duo Reece James and Declan Rice are reportedly managing minor knocks.

Prediction: England should respond positively after their frustrating draw with Ghana. With superior quality across the pitch and top spot in the group at stake, the Three Lions are expected to control proceedings from start to finish.

Best Bet: England -2 Handicap.