Football in Panama
{{Short description|none}}
{{Infobox sport overview
| boxwidth = 250
| title = Football in Panama
| image =
| imagesize =
| image_alt =
| caption =
| union = Federación Panameña de Fútbol
| country = Panama
| sport = association football
| noncountry =
| teamlabel1 =
| nationalteam = Men's national team
| teamlabel2 =
| repteam =
| nickname =
| first = 1862
| registered =
| clubs =
| national_list = Liga Panameña de Fútbol
| club_list =
| intl_list = 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)
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}}
Football in Panama is run by the Federación Panameña de Fútbol. The association administers the national football team, as well as the LPF.{{cite web|url=http://www.worldsoccer.com/blogs/panama|title=Panama's Golden Generation tarnished once again|publisher=worldsoccer.com|access-date=2014-03-25|archive-date=2014-03-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140324063809/http://www.worldsoccer.com/blogs/panama|url-status=dead}} Football is the most popular sport in Panama.{{cite web |title=El fútbol es el deporte rey de los panameños |url=https://www.panamaamerica.com.pa/deportes/el-futbol-es-el-deporte-rey-de-los-panamenos-901784 |website=Panama America |access-date=14 February 2023 |language=Spanish |date=1 October 2013 |archive-date=14 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230214164302/https://www.panamaamerica.com.pa/deportes/el-futbol-es-el-deporte-rey-de-los-panamenos-901784 |url-status=live }} Panama qualified for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/41574810|title=Trinidad and Tobago 2-1 USA|work=BBC Sport |date=11 October 2017|access-date=11 October 2017|archive-date=11 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171011040006/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/41574810|url-status=live}}
Domestic football
{{main|Liga Panameña de Fútbol|Panamanian Women's Football League}}
In 1988 professional football was established in Panama.{{cite web|url=http://www.mondofutbol.com/en/panama-football-russia-2018/|title=From zero to World Cup qualification: the history of football in Panama|website=www.mondofutbol.com|access-date=8 March 2018|archive-date=9 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180309000206/http://www.mondofutbol.com/en/panama-football-russia-2018/|url-status=live}} Gary Stempel is considered an influential figure in improving Panama football.{{cite web | title=Englishman Gary Stempel makes coaching mark in impoverished Panama | website=theScore.com | date=30 March 2016 | url=https://www.thescore.com/mls/news/990499 | access-date=2020-08-17}}{{cite web | title=FIFA World Youth Championship 2003 - News - Gary Stempel: "The moment of truth" | website=www.fifa.com | date=2003-11-21 | url=https://www.fifa.com/u20worldcup/news/gary-stempel-the-moment-truth-89544 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200726124904/https://www.fifa.com/u20worldcup/news/gary-stempel-the-moment-truth-89544 | url-status=dead | archive-date=July 26, 2020 | access-date=2020-08-17}}{{cite web | last=Lowe | first=Sid | title=Millwall to a miracle: the Englishman behind Panama's World Cup dream | website=the Guardian | date=2018-06-24 | url=http://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/jun/24/gary-stempel-panama-world-cup-england | access-date=2020-08-17 | archive-date=2020-11-09 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109031355/https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/jun/24/gary-stempel-panama-world-cup-england | url-status=live }}
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.{{cite web | url=https://www.rpctv.com/deportes/futbolnacional/FEPAFUT-creacion-Liga-Futbol-Femenino_0_1037297398.html | title=FEPAFUT anuncia la creación de la Liga de Fútbol Femenino | date=21 June 2017 | access-date=2023-12-21 | archive-date=2022-08-20 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220820192604/https://www.rpctv.com/deportes/futbolnacional/FEPAFUT-creacion-Liga-Futbol-Femenino_0_1037297398.html | url-status=live }}
League system
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; width:100%;" |
| style="background:#efefef;"
| style="width:4%; text-align:center;"| Level | colspan="12" style="width:96%; text-align:center;"| League(s)/Division(s) |
| style="text-align:center; width:4%; background:#efefef;"|
1 | colspan="12" style="width:96%; text-align:center;"| 12 clubs |
| style="text-align:center; width:4%; background:#efefef;"|
2 | colspan="12" style="width:96%; text-align:center;"| 20 clubs |
| style="text-align:center; width:4%; background:#efefef;"|
3 | colspan="12" style="width:96%; text-align:center;"| 19 clubs divided in 3 series, one of 8 clubs, one of 6 clubs and one of 5 clubs |
| style="text-align:center; width:4%; background:#efefef;"|
4 | colspan="12" style="width:96%; text-align:center;"| Panamanian Regional Leagues 10 leagues |
National team
{{main|Panama national football team|Panama women's national football team}}
In the 2010s, the Panama men's national team experienced its greatest success, finishing as runners-up in the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup and qualifying for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/international/panama-world-cup-2018-usa-from-agony-to-ecstasy-a-night-theyll-never-forget-a7994516.html|title=From agony to ecstasy: Panama's remarkable journey to the 2018 World Cup and a night they'll never forget|website=Independent.co.uk|date=11 October 2017|access-date=8 March 2018|archive-date=24 May 2022|archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220524/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/international/panama-world-cup-2018-usa-from-agony-to-ecstasy-a-night-theyll-never-forget-a7994516.html|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://www.skysports.com/football/news/15241/11148716/panamas-world-cup-dream-is-still-alive-for-jacksonvilles-tony-taylor|title=Panama's World Cup dream is still alive for Jacksonville's Tony Taylor|access-date=8 March 2018|archive-date=8 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180308231838/http://www.skysports.com/football/news/15241/11148716/panamas-world-cup-dream-is-still-alive-for-jacksonvilles-tony-taylor|url-status=live}}
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.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/feb/23/panama-secure-final-2023-womens-world-cup-spot-after-defeating-paraguay|title=Panama secure final 2023 Women's World Cup spot after defeating Paraguay|date=23 February 2023|newspaper=The Guardian|access-date=21 December 2023|archive-date=5 December 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231205210538/https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/feb/23/panama-secure-final-2023-womens-world-cup-spot-after-defeating-paraguay|url-status=live |last1=Sport |first1=Guardian }} 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.
| class="wikitable sortable"
!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:
{{row counter|
| class{{=}}"wikitable sortable"
!#!!Football club!!Home games!!Average attendance | |||
| style{{=}}"text-align:center;"| _row_count | Tauro FC | 8 | 1,447 |
| style{{=}}"text-align:center;"| _row_count | CD Plaza Amador | 8 | 615 |
| style{{=}}"text-align:center;"| _row_count | Independiente de La Chorrera | 8 | 595 |
| style{{=}}"text-align:center;"| _row_count | San Francisco FC | 8 | 589 |
| style{{=}}"text-align:center;"| _row_count | Sporting San Miguelito | 8 | 532 |
| style{{=}}"text-align:center;"| _row_count | CD Universitario | 8 | 443 |
| style{{=}}"text-align:center;"| _row_count | UMECIT FC | 8 | 403 |
| style{{=}}"text-align:center;"| _row_count | CD Árabe Unido | 8 | 345 |
| style{{=}}"text-align:center;"| _row_count | ACSD Alianza FC | 8 | 288 |
| style{{=}}"text-align:center;"| _row_count | CD del Este | 8 | 234 |
| style{{=}}"text-align:center;"| _row_count | Veraguas United FC | 8 | 186 |
| style{{=}}"text-align:center;"| _row_count | Herrera FC | 8 | 159 |