Panama and Croatia are tied for the bottom of Group L, with both teams holding onto zero points currently. The 2026 FIFA World Cup continues today as these two teams kick off at 7 PM EST.
Let’s dive into my favorite bet for this match.
Best bet for Panama vs. Croatia
- Croatia Moneyline (-195): Croatia is coming off a rough 4-2 loss to England, but this is still the more talented side in a match it needs to win. Panama was organized against Ghana, but it struggled to create high-quality chances and finished with only 0.75 expected goals despite taking 12 shots. Croatia’s midfield should control possession, and its experience gives it the edge here today.
Panama vs. Croatia prediction, pick
This is already a pressure match for both teams. Panama lost 1-0 to Ghana in its opener, while Croatia fell 4-2 to England, leaving both teams at the bottom of Group L with zero points. With England and Ghana already sitting on three points, a loss here would put either side in a very difficult position before the final matchday.
Croatia enters as the clear favorite at DraftKings Sportsbook, and that makes sense even after its ugly start to the tournament. England exposed Croatia’s set-piece defending, and Zlatko Dalić’s side had real problems dealing with pressure in the box. Still, there is a difference between getting punished by Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, and one of the tournament favorites, versus trying to solve an easier problem in this Panama team that struggled to turn possession into tangible scoring chances against Ghana.
Panama deserves some credit for its Matchday 1 performance. They were organized, competitive, and unlucky to concede in stoppage time, but they also finished with only 0.75 expected goals despite taking 12 shots. That is the concern here. Panama can make this game uncomfortable with its shape and counterattacking pace, but it still has to prove it can turn that aforementioned possession into actual offense against a higher-level opponent.
Croatia was poor defensively against England, but its midfield should have a much cleaner matchup here. Luka Modrić, Mateo Kovačić, and Petar Sučić should be able to control long stretches of possession, while Petar Musa and Ivan Perišić give Croatia more penalty-box threat than Panama showed in its opener. Panama’s best path is to stay compact and try to steal something in transition, but that is a difficult formula if Croatia gets the first goal.
I don’t love laying heavy juice in a World Cup group-stage match, especially behind a Croatia team that just conceded a whopping four goals. That being said, this is not a good spot to overreact. Croatia is still ranked much higher, has far more tournament experience and has the midfield quality to settle this game down after a chaotic opener. I’m down to grab them at this Moneyline price.
Panama can hang around, but Croatia should be the side that creates the cleaner chances and finishes the job.
Best Bet: Croatia Moneyline (-195)
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