A first-time winner of the Concacaf Nations League will be crowned on Sunday at SoFi Stadium, where Mexico and Panama will face off in the final of the competition as both target a statement-making win with the 2026 World Cup in North America on the horizon. Mexico, one of the co-hosts of next summer’s competition, enter their third CNL final as the overwhelming favorites, while Panama will compete in the final of this tournament for the first time.
Mexico booked a spot in the final after a 2-0 win over Canada, who came up with an energetic performance but were less clinical than El Tri. Raul Jimenez stole the show with a brace, giving Mexico the lead in the opening minute before supplementing it with a second half goal. He, alongside the in-form AC Milan goalscorer Santiago Gimenez, will be counted on to help Mexico win their first trophy since the 2023 Gold Cup when they were missing a handful of their top-tier players. A win for Mexico in Sunday’s game will come with a major vote of confidence for Javier Aguirre, who kicked off his third stint in charge of the team in October and has been tasked with rejuvenating a team that has underwhelmed in recent years after serving as Concacaf’s gold standard.
Panama, meanwhile, will aim to put on a second strong performance of the week after their surprise 1-0 win over the U.S. men’s national team, the only previous winner of the competition. They are undoubtedly the underdogs but their upward trajectory over the last several years means they are not to be underestimated, especially under Thomas Christiansen. This will be their second final in continental competitions under the head coach, who has steadily helped them punch above their weight and now has them one game away from their first major trophy ever.
Here’s what you need to know before tuning in.
Paramount+ is the place to stream Concacaf Nations League matches this season. In addition to the Nations League final, make sure not to miss the USMNT’s third-place grudge match against Canada. And when the club game returns, Paramount+ is the place for all your Champions League, Serie A, NWSL action and more. Sign up now.
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How to watch and odds
- Date: Sunday, March 23 | Time: 9:30 p.m. ET
- Location: SoFi Stadium — Inglewood, California
- Live stream: Paramount+
- Odds: Mexico -220; Draw +300; Panama +550
Projected lineups
Mexico: Luis Malagon, Israel Reyes, Edson Alvarez, Johan Vazquez, Roberto Alvarado, Carlos Rodriguez, Erik Lira, Jesus Gallardo, Santiago Gimenez, Raul Jimenez, Alexis Vega
Panama: Orlando Mosquera, Cesar Blackman, Carlos Harvey, Edgardo Farina, Jose Cordoba, Jorge Gutierrez, Christian Martinez, Adalberto Carrasquilla, Anibal Godoy, Jose Luis Rodriguez, Jose Fajardo
Prediction
This game is Mexico’s to lose and considering what’s on the line, there’s little reason to suspect that they will lose. With the likes of Raul Jimenez and Santiago Gimenez to count on, expect El Tri to enjoy a fairly straightforward outing and win their first CNL title. Pick: Mexico 2, Panama 0
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