Croatia beats Panama 1-0 in World Cup group‑stage match

Croatia secured a 1‑0 victory over Panama in the Group L match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup at Toronto’s BMO Field. Ante Budimir scored the only goal, giving the Croatian side three points and keeping their qualification hopes alive ahead of the final group round against England and Ghana.

The win also marked Luka Modrić’s 200th appearance for the national team. Early substitutions saw Croatia replace Gvardiol and Musa with Kramarić and Budimir, a change that proved decisive. Panama, despite creating several chances, were unable to equalise and were eliminated from the tournament with a game to spare.