Preview: Curacao vs Panama - prediction, team news, lineups

The first knockout fixture of this season’s CONCAF Nations League will see Curacao square off against Panama on Thursday in the opening leg of that tie at Ergilio Hato Stadium in Willemstad.

Curacao finished top of Group A with 10 points, while the Panamanians earned a direct place in the last eight as one of the four highest ranked sides in CONCACAF.

Match preview

Curacao’s League A campaign has been a huge success this time around, going unbeaten in the group stage, and leading all teams in that phase for goals scored (12).

They picked up seven more points than they had in their last top flight Nations League campaign in 2023-24 while netting five more times.

Since competing in their first World Cup this past summer, Dick Advocaat’s men have yet to lose, winning three of their last four competitive fixtures.

In this Nations League group phase, they were a perfect 2-0 versus Central American opposition, defeating Costa Rica and Nicaragua along the way, netting a combined 10 goals in those two games.

Thursday marks their first knockout fixture in a CONCACAF tournament since 2019, when they reached the quarter-finals of the Gold Cup, narrowly losing at that stage to the USA (1-0).

The Blue Wave will aim to extend their Nations League winning run at Ergilio Hato Stadium to five matches on Thursday, while they have not lost on home soil this year.

Unlike Curacao, Panama have struggled to find good form since the conclusion of the World Cup this past summer.

While Thomas Christiansen’s men had some respectable outings in the finals, losing twice by a single goal, they have yet to find their footing in the fall.

They enter this game without a normal time win or defeat in their last three friendlies but have not won a competitive game in 90 minutes since November 2025 (3-0 over El Salvador).

On the other hand, this will be their third successive time in the quarter-finals of this tournament, with the Panamanians advancing beyond that stage on both of those previous occasions.

Los Canaleros have a 100% away record in the quarter-finals of this competition, failing to concede a single goal in those previous two instances.

Panama are unbeaten in their three all-time meetings versus Curacao, and were the last team to beat them in this competition at Ergilio Hato Stadium in 2023 (2-1).

Curacao CONCACAF Nations League form:

Curacao form (all competitions):

Panama form (all competitions):

Team News

Unavailable for Curacao on Thursday will be Jordi Paulina, who has an injury, Sontje Hansen is dealing with a hamstring strain and Roshon van Eijma has a muscular problem.

Kenji Gorre led them with four goals in the group stage, while Eloy Room and Leandro Bacuna remain tied for most all-time caps at 79.

On the Panama side, Manuel Moran is the only player selected for this window without a senior cap, while Yoel Barcenas can move into a tie for ninth in all-time appearances should he feature on Thursday.

Jose Fajardo and Ismael Diaz were chosen for this window, both of whom are tied for eighth in all-time goals for the national team and one away from moving into a tie for sixth in that department.

Curacao possible starting lineup:

Room; Sambo, Gaari, Carolina, Floranus; Comenencia, L. Bacuna; J. Bacuna, Antonisse, Gorre; Margaritha

Panama possible starting lineup:

Mosquera; Murillo, Krug, Cordoba, Andrade, Gutierrez; Martinez, Harvey, Carrasquilla, Barcenas; Fajardo

We say: Curacao 1-1 Panama

Panama are a well-organised side with plenty of cohesion and, despite their recent form, should make it harder for Curacao to exploit space in the attacking third.

These two teams match up well, both with great balance across the field, and we expect a stalemate in this opening leg.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.