The Brandon Gonez Show visited the Panama Consulate in Toronto ahead of the World Cup match against Ghana on June 17.
Today marked an exciting day for Panamanians and was extra thrilling for fans in Canada, as Panama faced Ghana in the World Cup on June 17 at Toronto Stadium.
This year is the second time Panama has qualified for the World Cup, the last time being in 2018.
Fans gathered in the streets of Toronto at Trinity Bellewoods Park and marched to Toronto Stadium ahead of the 7:00 p.m. match.
Thousands of Panama fans gathered at Trinity Bellewoods Park on Wednesday afternoon, to cheer and march to Toronto Stadium before the game.
The Brandon Gonez Show joined the Panama march to see how supporters were feeling as their team went into the first World Cup match of 2026.
“This is our second World Cup, so we can do it. We can go forward,” Panama supporter Rogelio told The Brandon Gonez Show.
Fans energized the streets and predicted Panama to sweep Ghana in today’s game.
Panama supporter Yaniska, travelled all the way from Texas to Toronto to watch the match and shared that she will go anywhere to support the team. She also confidently shared a message to Ghana fans.
“Just enjoy, we’re gonna win, and it’s okay. Just enjoy,” Yaniska says.
Fans gathering at Trinity Bellewoods Park in Toronto representing Panama.
The Brandon Gonez Show also made a visit to the Panama Consulate in Toronto to learn more about Panamanian culture, and the significance the tournament holds for the community as they prepare to watch their team compete in Canada.
Haydee Villarreal is the Culture and Press Attaché Embassy of Panama in Canada, and shared why she was so confident that Panama would take the win on Wednesday.
Villarreal explains the ironic Spanish phrase that Panamanians are saying, “Panamá gana Ghana”.
“Gana” translates to “win” or “to win”, and ironically sounds similar to the country they are facing, Ghana.
“We are very creative, we are very cheerful, happy, and excited about this moment,” says Villarreal. “We are confident that we are going to win. That’s no doubt. We need to be like that, and we need to transmit that to all the football team. They feel us behind them.”
She also shares the country’s geographical uniqueness which makes them such a vibrant community.
“Panama is so diverse. We are a country with mountains, with seas, with Afro-Caribbean culture, First Nations, so very rich and diverse culture,” she tells The Brandon Gonez Show.
Haydee Villarreal is the Culture and Press Attaché Embassy of Panama in Canada.
Villarreal describes Panameños (or Panamanians) as “resilient people” and shares how they turn everything into a celebration and radiate happiness.
“Panama, Puente del Mundo, Corazón del Universo, which means ‘bridge of the world, heart of the universe.’ And we are warm people, we are welcoming and we love partying. Even if we are sad, we put on salsa and we dance,” she says.
And sadly for Panama, the team lost to Ghana 1 – 0 when Caleb Yirenkyi scored at the 95th-minute of the game.
Toronto streets were still filled with Panama fans, spirts and energy still at a high.
Panama is the only Central American country that qualified for the World Cup, so fans are excited to support the team also known as “Los Canaleros” (The Canal Men) as they face Croatia on June 23.
Panama jersey signed by the men’s soccer team.
The streets were flooded with red, white, and blue as fans came together to celebrate Panama today, and although they lost, Panamanians will fill Toronto again with their brightness, next week.
