India to host Panama in Bengaluru friendly on September 25, 2026
India will play Panama at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru on September 25, 2026, the opening friendly of a September–October international window that features three opponents who played at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. While the fixtures against Brazil and Uruguay in Kolkata have drawn the most attention, the Panama game is viewed as one where the Blue Tigers have a realistic hope of securing at least a draw.
India’s domestic season has not yet started, with the ISL 2026-27 and Indian Football League 2026-27 scheduled to begin in October, and several national team players have so far only appeared in the Durand Cup and a handful of club friendlies. The national squad enters this international window preparing for three major friendlies against World Cup participants, beginning with Panama in Bengaluru.
Panama sit 44th in the FIFA rankings while India are placed 138th, placing a clear numerical gap between the two sides. Panama’s higher ranking underlines the level of opposition India will face at Sree Kanteerava Stadium.
Panama’s results this year have been mixed, with just two wins from the 10 matches they played. In the lead-up to the 2026 FIFA World Cup they beat the Dominican Republic, lost 6-2 to Brazil and drew 1-1 with Bosnia and Herzegovina; at the World Cup they were drawn with England, Croatia and Ghana and lost all three group games, including a defeat to Ghana decided by Yirenkyi’s stoppage-time winner.
The Panama national team is managed by Thomas Christiansen, who has been with the side since 2020 and is a former Leeds United manager. Christiansen has overseen 94 games, holds the record as the longest-serving manager in Panama’s history, led the team to the 2026 FIFA World Cup and to runners-up finishes in the 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup and the 2024-25 CONCACAF Nations League; his record stands at a 46% winning percentage with 43 wins and 28 losses.
Centre-back Jose Cordoba, who plays for Norwich City in the EFL Championship, is a left-footed, ball-playing defender who has made 35 appearances for Panama since his debut in 2022. Cordoba is noted for winning ground duels and strong tackling, can operate at left-back when required, and played the full 90 minutes in all three of Panama’s matches at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Midfielder Adalberto Carrasquilla, who represents UNAM Pumas in Mexico, is a box-to-box player capable of operating across the midfield and was named the 2023–24 CONCACAF Men’s Player of the Year. Carrasquilla played zero minutes at the 2026 FIFA World Cup while recovering from an adductor tear, and with captain Yoel Barcenas absent from the squad the coach will look to Carrasquilla to provide composure, tempo control and deep-lying playmaking ability. Forward Jose Fajardo, who turns out for C.D. Universidad Catolica in Ecuador, is the top scorer in the current national setup and among the country’s top 10 goalscorers historically; he is described as the focal point of Panama’s attack but is currently without a goal in his last nine games.
Panama’s first international match following the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be against India, with the fixture scheduled for 25th September at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru.