This Sunday, a new champion will be crowned in the Concacaf Nations League at SoFi Stadium. Mexico and Panama will compete in the final, both aiming for a significant victory as the 2026 World Cup in North America approaches. Mexico, a co-host for the upcoming World Cup, enters their third Nations League final as strong favorites. Panama is participating in their first final in this tournament.
Mexico secured their place in the final by defeating Canada 2-0. Despite Canada`s energetic play, Mexico was more effective in scoring. Raul Jimenez was the star, scoring twice, once in the first minute and again in the second half. He and Santiago Gimenez, a successful goal scorer for AC Milan, are expected to be key players for Mexico as they seek their first trophy since the 2023 Gold Cup, where they played without some of their top players. A win on Sunday would greatly boost confidence in coach Javier Aguirre, who began his third term in October and is tasked with revitalizing a team that has performed below expectations recently, after being the dominant force in Concacaf.
Panama hopes to continue their strong performance after surprisingly beating the US men`s national team 1-0, who were the previous champions of the competition. They are considered underdogs, but their progress in recent years, especially under coach Thomas Christiansen, means they should not be underestimated. This is their second continental final under Christiansen, who has consistently helped them exceed expectations and is now one game away from winning their first major trophy.
How to Watch and Betting Odds
- Date: Sunday, March 23
- Location: SoFi Stadium — Inglewood, California
- Live stream: Paramount+
- Odds: Mexico -220; Draw +300; Panama +550
Projected Lineups
Mexico: Luis Malagon, Israel Reyes, Edson Alvarez, Johan Vazquez, Roberto Alvarado, Carlos Rodriguez, Erik Lira, Jesus Gallardo, Santiago Gimenez, Raul Jimenez, Alexis Vega
Panama: Orlando Mosquera, Cesar Blackman, Carlos Harvey, Edgardo Farina, Jose Cordoba, Jorge Gutierrez, Christian Martinez, Adalberto Carrasquilla, Anibal Godoy, Jose Luis Rodriguez, Jose Fajardo
Game Prediction
Mexico is heavily favored to win this match, and given the stakes, it`s unlikely they will lose. With players like Raul Jimenez and Santiago Gimenez, Mexico is expected to have a comfortable game and win their first Nations League title. Prediction: Mexico 2, Panama 0
