Football in Panama

Football in Panama
Football in Panama
Country	Panama
Governing body	Federación Panameña de Fútbol
National team(s)	Men's national team
First played	1862
National competitions
	Liga Panameña de Fútbol
International competitions
	CONCACAF Champions Cup; CONCACAF Central American Cup; FIFA Club World Cup; CONCACAF Gold Cup (National Team); CONCACAF Nations League (National Team); FIFA World Cup (National Team); CONCACAF Women's Championship (National Team); CONCACAF W Gold Cup (National Team); FIFA Women's World Cup (National Team)

Football in Panama is run by the Federación Panameña de Fútbol. The association administers the national football team, as well as the LPF.^[1] Football is the most popular sport in Panama.^[2] Panama qualified for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.^[3]

Domestic football

In 1988 professional football was established in Panama.^[4] Gary Stempel is considered an influential figure in improving Panama football.^[5]^[6]^[7]

In 2017, a separate women's league, the Liga de Fútbol Femenino, was established, with the aim to improve women's football in the country.^[8]

League system

Level	League(s)/Division(s)
1	Liga Panameña de Fútbol 12 clubs
2	Liga Nacional de Ascenso 20 clubs
3	Copa Rommel Fernández 19 clubs divided in 3 series, one of 8 clubs, one of 6 clubs and one of 5 clubs
4	Panamanian Regional Leagues 10 leagues

National team

In the 2010s, the Panama men's national team experienced its greatest success, finishing as runners-up in the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup^[1] and qualifying for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.^[9]^[10]

Meanwhile, the Panama women's national team reached the qualifying play-offs for the FIFA Women's World Cup for the first time in 2019, although their dream was cut short after losing to Argentina. Panama would then repeat the feat by reaching the play-offs for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, again with the aim to qualify for their first Women's World Cup.^[11] They successfully achieved World Cup qualification for the first time following a win against Paraguay.

Stadiums in Panama

The Estadio Rommel Fernández, the national football stadium of Panama, is the largest stadium in the country.

Stadium	Main use	Capacity	Tenants	Image
Estadio Rommel Fernández	Association football	32,000	Panama national football team, Tauro FC
Estadio Nacional de Panamá	Baseball	27,000	Panama national baseball team

Attendances

The average attendances of Panamese top-flight football league clubs in the 2024 Clausura:

#	Football club	Home games	Average attendance
1	Tauro FC	8	1,447
2	CD Plaza Amador	8	615
3	Independiente de La Chorrera	8	595
4	San Francisco FC	8	589
5	Sporting San Miguelito	8	532
6	CD Universitario	8	443
7	UMECIT FC	8	403
8	CD Árabe Unido	8	345
9	ACSD Alianza FC	8	288
10	CD del Este	8	234
11	Veraguas United FC	8	186
12	Herrera FC	8	159

References

^ ^a ^b "Panama's Golden Generation tarnished once again". worldsoccer.com. Archived from the original on 2014-03-24. Retrieved 2014-03-25.
^ "El fútbol es el deporte rey de los panameños". Panama America (in Spanish). 1 October 2013. Archived from the original on 14 February 2023. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
^ "Trinidad and Tobago 2-1 USA". BBC Sport. 11 October 2017. Archived from the original on 11 October 2017. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
^ "From zero to World Cup qualification: the history of football in Panama". www.mondofutbol.com. Archived from the original on 9 March 2018. Retrieved 8 March 2018.
^ "Englishman Gary Stempel makes coaching mark in impoverished Panama". theScore.com. 30 March 2016. Retrieved 2020-08-17.
^ "FIFA World Youth Championship 2003 - News - Gary Stempel: "The moment of truth"". www.fifa.com. 2003-11-21. Archived from the original on July 26, 2020. Retrieved 2020-08-17.
^ Lowe, Sid (2018-06-24). "Millwall to a miracle: the Englishman behind Panama's World Cup dream". the Guardian. Archived from the original on 2020-11-09. Retrieved 2020-08-17.
^ "FEPAFUT anuncia la creación de la Liga de Fútbol Femenino". 21 June 2017. Archived from the original on 2022-08-20. Retrieved 2023-12-21.
^ "From agony to ecstasy: Panama's remarkable journey to the 2018 World Cup and a night they'll never forget". Independent.co.uk. 11 October 2017. Archived from the original on 24 May 2022. Retrieved 8 March 2018.
^ "Panama's World Cup dream is still alive for Jacksonville's Tony Taylor". Archived from the original on 8 March 2018. Retrieved 8 March 2018.
^ Sport, Guardian (23 February 2023). "Panama secure final 2023 Women's World Cup spot after defeating Paraguay". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 5 December 2023. Retrieved 21 December 2023.

[worldsoccer-1] "Panama's Golden Generation tarnished once again". worldsoccer.com. Archived from the original on 2014-03-24. Retrieved 2014-03-25.

[2] "El fútbol es el deporte rey de los panameños". Panama America (in Spanish). 1 October 2013. Archived from the original on 14 February 2023. Retrieved 14 February 2023.

[3] "Trinidad and Tobago 2-1 USA". BBC Sport. 11 October 2017. Archived from the original on 11 October 2017. Retrieved 11 October 2017.

[4] "From zero to World Cup qualification: the history of football in Panama". www.mondofutbol.com. Archived from the original on 9 March 2018. Retrieved 8 March 2018.

[5] "Englishman Gary Stempel makes coaching mark in impoverished Panama". theScore.com. 30 March 2016. Retrieved 2020-08-17.

[6] "FIFA World Youth Championship 2003 - News - Gary Stempel: "The moment of truth"". www.fifa.com. 2003-11-21. Archived from the original on July 26, 2020. Retrieved 2020-08-17.

[7] Lowe, Sid (2018-06-24). "Millwall to a miracle: the Englishman behind Panama's World Cup dream". the Guardian. Archived from the original on 2020-11-09. Retrieved 2020-08-17.

[8] "FEPAFUT anuncia la creación de la Liga de Fútbol Femenino". 21 June 2017. Archived from the original on 2022-08-20. Retrieved 2023-12-21.

[9] "From agony to ecstasy: Panama's remarkable journey to the 2018 World Cup and a night they'll never forget". Independent.co.uk. 11 October 2017. Archived from the original on 24 May 2022. Retrieved 8 March 2018.

[10] "Panama's World Cup dream is still alive for Jacksonville's Tony Taylor". Archived from the original on 8 March 2018. Retrieved 8 March 2018.

[11] Sport, Guardian (23 February 2023). "Panama secure final 2023 Women's World Cup spot after defeating Paraguay". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 5 December 2023. Retrieved 21 December 2023.

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