New York New Jersey Stadium hosts Panama v England World Cup 2026 fixture

By Harry Sutton — 27 June 2026 — 3 min read

The World Cup 2026 match between Panama and England is underway at New York New Jersey Stadium. The game has seen moments of attacking play from both sides, with England creating several opportunities and Panama showing glimpses of threat on the counter-attack.

Early in the second half, England‘s Jude Bellingham scored, converting a corner from the left. He met the ball at the near post and directed a shot into the bottom left corner of the goal.

First Half Action and Commentary

The first half saw England pressing Panama, though the Panamanian defence maintained its shape, making it difficult for England to find a clear path to goal. Despite this, England had several attempts. Marcus Rashford, for instance, whipped a cross in from the left, which Harry Kane attempted to poke home from close range. However, Jose Cordoba intervened, kicking the ball against his own player, Andrade, and over the bar.

Rashford also had a shot that rippled the side netting after tearing down the left and into the box, opting to shoot himself rather than pass to Kane. Earlier, Saka made his way into the Panama box from the right, winning England‘s fifth corner of the game, though his subsequent kick did not beat the first defender.

Panama, while largely defensive, did manage to create some moments of concern for England. Jose Luis Rodriguez took advantage of space on the left side of Panama‘s attack, firing a low drive towards the bottom left that required a strong hand from Jordan Pickford to turn around the post. Anderson also had an attempt, curling a powerful shot towards the top right that went high and wide. Harvey swished a shot into the side netting after a quick throw-in down the right.

The match also featured a drinks break, during which various observations were made about the game’s pace. Some commentators noted that England‘s performance did not seem to be a significant improvement on previous regimes, while others suggested the team needed to exert more effort.

There were also some physical moments in the first half. Saka claimed to have been clipped in the area by Gutierrez, but replays showed no contact, and the referee dismissed the penalty appeal. Towards the end of the first half, Kane was fouled by Harvey about 25 yards out from goal.

Second Half Developments

The second half began with a substitution for Panama, as Fajardo replaced Tomas Rodriguez up front. England started the second half with the ball. The early part of the second half saw some stoppages, including O’Reilly accidentally falling on Martinez, who required treatment but was able to continue.

England‘s assistant coach, Anthony Barry, provided some insights into the team’s half-time discussion. He emphasised the team’s focus on their own game and the absence of easy matches in the World Cup. He noted that initial energy might have affected risk management, leading to central ball losses and opening up opportunities for counter-attacks from a dangerous opponent. He also highlighted the need to take care of coverage and counter-attacks while utilising the team’s attacking talent.

As the second half progressed, Panama began to commit more players to attack, seeking opportunities. This, in turn, created more space for England to exploit. Bellingham capitalised on this by making a run down the left and winning a corner, which he subsequently converted into a goal.

However, England also faced a concern when Quansah went over on his ankle. He had also been booked earlier for a challenge on an opponent. This injury concern comes amidst existing issues for England at right-back.

In another Group L match, Croatia led Ghana 1-0 at half-time, thanks to a goal from Petar Sucic. This result, as it stood at half-time, would mean Croatia would win the group, and England would face Portugal in the last 32. However, the final matches in other groups, including Portugal‘s, were yet to kick off.

At the 55-minute mark, Rashford again attempted a shot on goal, which hit the side netting.

Source: theguardian.com