The CONCACAF Gold Cup is North America's major tournament in senior men's football and determines the continental champion. Until 1989, the tournament was known as CONCACAF Championship. It is currently held every two years. From 1996 to 2005, nations from other confederations have regularly joined the tournament as invitees. In earlier editions, the continental championship was held in different countries, but since the inception of the Gold Cup in 1991, the United States are constant hosts or co-hosts.
From 1973 to 1989, the tournament doubled as the confederation's World Cup qualification. CONCACAF's representative team at the FIFA Confederations Cup was decided by a play-off between the winners of the last two tournament editions in 2015 via the CONCACAF Cup, but was then discontinued along with the Confederations Cup.
Since the inaugural tournament in 1963, the Gold Cup was held 28 times and has been won by seven different nations, most often by Mexico (13 titles).
Although Panama was one of the nine teams which participated in the inaugural 1963 CONCACAF Championship, it took thirty years for them to make a second appearance in a continental tournament. However, they have continually participated since 2005 and consistently reached the knockout stage, playing three finals. They lost to the United States on penalties in 2005 and 0–1 in 2013, and lost 0–1 to Mexico in 2023.
In 2015, Panama finished third in the tournament, drawing all six matches 1–1 after normal time.
Overall record CONCACAF Championship & Gold Cup record YearRoundPositionSquad 1963Group stage6th412184Squad 1965Did not enter 1967Did not qualify 1969 1971Did not enter 1973 1977Did not qualify 198119851989 1991Did not enter 1993Group stage7th301238Squad 1996Did not qualify 1998 2000 2002 2003 2005Runners-up2nd623176Squad 2007Quarter-finals6th411267Squad 2009Quarter-finals7th411275Squad 2011Semi-finals3rd522176Squad 2013Runners-up2nd6411114Squad 2015Third place3rd605167Squad 2017Quarter-finals5th421163Squad 2019Quarter-finals7th420264Squad 2021Group stage9th311187Squad 2023Runners-up2nd 6321116Squad 2025Quarter-finals5th4310114Squad Total Runners-up 13/28 59 22 21 16 97 71 —
Match overview TournamentRoundOpponentScoreVenue 1963Group stage1–1San Salvador2–20–15–0 1993Group stage1–5Dallas1–21–1 2005Group stage1–0Miami2–20–1Quarter-finals1–1HoustonSemi-finals3–2East RutherfordFinal0–0 2007Group stage3–22–20–1HoustonQuarter-finals1–2Foxboro 2009Group stage1–2Oakland1–1Houston4–0GlendaleQuarter-finals1–2 Philadelphia 2011Group stage3–2Detroit2–1Tampa1–1Kansas CityQuarter-finals1–1Washington, D.C.Semi-finals0–1Houston 2013Group stage2–1Pasadena1–0Seattle0–0DenverQuarter-finals6–1AtlantaSemi-finals2–1ArlingtonFinal0–1Chicago 2015Group stage1–1Frisco1–1Foxboro1–1Kansas CityQuarter-finals1–1East RutherfordSemi-finals1–2 AtlantaThird place match1–1Chester 2017Group stage1–1Nashville2–1Tampa3–0ClevelandQuarter-finals0–1Philadelphia 2019Group stage2–0Saint Paul4–2Cleveland0–1Kansas CityQuarter-finals0–1Philadelphia 2021Group stage3–3Houston2–33–1Orlando 2023Group stage2–1Fort Lauderdale2–1Harrison2–2HoustonQuarter-finals4–0ArlingtonSemi-finals1–1San DiegoFinal0–1Inglewood 2025Group stage5–2Carson1–0Austin4–1Quarter-finals1–1Glendale
Record players
Panama's record cap holder Gabriel Gómez appeared in seven consecutive CONCACAF Gold Cups. After the 2018 FIFA World Cup however, he officially retired from international football.
RankPlayerMatchesGold Cups1Gabriel Gómez312005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015 and 20172Jaime Penedo282005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013 and 20153Alberto Quintero272011, 2013, 2015, 2019, 2021 and 2023Aníbal Godoy272011, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2023 and 20255Román Torres252005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015 and 20196Harold Cummings222011, 2013, 2015, 2019, 2021 and 20237Blas Pérez212007, 2009, 2011, 2013 and 20158Luis Tejada202005, 2007, 2009, 2011 and 20159Armando Cooper192011, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019 and 202110Gabriel Torres182011, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2021Eric Davis182011, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2023 and 2025
Top goalscorers Blas Pérez scored at least once at each of his five tournament participations. In 2013, Gabriel Torres became the first Panamanian to win the Golden Boot at a continental championship; Ismael Díaz became the second in 2025.
RankPlayerGoalsGold Cups1Blas Pérez112007 (3), 2009 (3), 2011 (1), 2013 (3) and 2015 (1)Ismael Díaz112017 (1), 2023 (4) and 2025 (6)3Luis Tejada102005 (3), 2009 (2), 2011 (3) and 2015 (2)4Gabriel Torres82013 (5), 2017 (2) and 2019 (1)5Gabriel Gómez32009 (1) and 2011 (2)Eric Davis32019 (1) and 2021 (2)Yoel Bárcenas32019 (1) and 2023 (2)Tomás Rodríguez32025
Awards and records Team awards Runners-up: 2005, 2013, 2023 Third place: 2011, 2015 Fair play award: 2013
Individual awards MVP 2005: Luis Tejada MVP 2023: Adalberto Carrasquilla Golden Boot 2013: Gabriel Torres (5 goals, shared) Golden Boot 2025: Ismael Díaz (6 goals) Golden Glove 2005: Jaime Penedo Golden Glove 2013: Jaime Penedo
See also Panama at the Copa América Panama at the FIFA World Cup
References
External links RSSSF archives and results Soccerway database