Croatia are not quite drinking in the last-chance saloon yet following their 4-2 defeat to England but another setback against Panama could spell disaster for their qualification hopes. Having finished runners-up in 2018 and third in 2022 , the Croatia World Cup 2026 squad would have had high hopes heading to North America, not least as it is likely to be the last finals for the likes of Luka Modric, Ivan Perisic and Andrej Kramaric.
But they had no answer to a dominant second-half showing by England in Texas and are bottom of Group L heading into the second round of matches. Panama are also without a point but can consider themselves unlucky not to have got anything against Ghana , going down 1-0 to a stoppage-time decider. We’re not expecting an upset in this match, though, and our opening Panama vs Croatia prediction is for Modric and co to win 1-0, 2-0 or 2-1 @ 7/4 in a BOYLE Sports Price Boost.
Betting Odds
Panama vs Croatia Betting Odds – 2026 World Cup
Result | Odds | Chance |
|---|---|---|
Panama | 11/2 | 15.4% |
Croatia | 1/2 | 66.7% |
Draw | 3/1 | 25% |
*Odds are correct at the time of writing, but subject to change.
Croatia are 1/2 favourites to beat Panama , who are 11/2 for the win, with the draw at 3/1.
How to Watch
How to watch Panama vs Croatia
The World Cup Group L match is scheduled to begin at 00:00am BST on Wednesday and will be shown live on BBC1.
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Form Guides
Panama form guide
Panama booked passage to only their second World Cup after overhauling Suriname on the final matchday in qualifying, and Los Canaleros have certainly tried to ensure they were as fully prepared as possible for this summer. They played seven friendlies in 2026 as part of their World Cup build-up, beating South Africa and Dominican Republic while drawing three others matches and losing to Mexico and Brazi l.
Aside from that 6-2 drubbing by Brazil, the 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup finalists have not proven an easy team to brush aside in recent years, as Ghana found out in Toronto last week. Therefore, two more of our World Cup tips today are for Croatia to win with under 3.5 goals in total @ 6/5 and for Croatia to win and BTTS @ 5/2.
Croatia form guide
Croatia had few problems qualifying for their seventh World Cup out of eight since gaining independence, picking up 22 points from a possible 24 in Group L while conceding only four goals. Their record at finals so far has been feast or famine, knocked out at the group stage on three occasions but also finishing third in 1998 and 2022, as well as runners-up in 2018.
They will hope for more of the latter this year and the way they gave as good as they got against England in the first half suggests a hugely experienced squad could go deep again. Kramaric was the Croatia World Cup squad’s leading scorer in qualifying with six goals and, having been named on the bench against England, he could be an option to start against Panama.
Another of our World Cup tips today is for the 35-year-old striker, who has scored 17 goals for Croatia and Hoffenheim over the last year, to net at any time @ 11/8.
Betting Tips
Panama vs Croatia Betting Tips
Croatia to win 1-0, 2-0 or 2-1 @ 7/4
Croatia to win & under 3.5 goals @ 6/5
Andrej Kramaric to net at any time @ 11/8
Simply click/tap on the above betting tips to add to your betslip.
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