Meet Aníbal Godoy.
The San Diego FC midfielder is heading to his second World Cup with Panama.
He is one of two MLS players on Panama's World Cup roster, alongside Minnesota United FC defender Carlos Harvey.
- Age: 36
- Hometown: Panama City, Panama
MLS background
Godoy has been among the most consistent midfielders in MLS over the past 12 seasons.
He started with the San Jose Earthquakes in 2015, then joined Nashville SC (2020) and San Diego FC (2025) for their respective expansion campaigns.
Godoy helped Nashville reach the 2023 Leagues Cup final and has featured in 12 Audi MLS Cup Playoff matches.
Awards & stats
- 9g/23a in 251 MLS matches
International experience
- Caps: 157
- Goals: 4
Godoy will be among the most experienced players at the 2026 World Cup. He has amassed 157 caps since debuting in 2010, the most in Panamanian history.
He's represented Los Canaleros at six Concacaf Gold Cups, as well as the Copa América Centenario 2016 and 2022 World Cup, with this summer only adding to that standout résumé.
Sporting the captain's armband for Panama, Godoy could lead his nation to their first victory in a World Cup match.
World Cup schedule
Panama are in Group L alongside Croatia, England and Ghana.
- June 17: Panama vs. Ghana, 7 pm ET | Toronto, Ontario
- June 23: Panama vs. Croatia, 7 pm ET | Toronto, Ontario
- June 27: Panama vs. England, 5 pm ET | East Rutherford, New Jersey
The 2026 World Cup, which runs from June 11 to July 19, has expanded from the usual 32 nations to 48 total.
The top two teams advance from each group, and the top eight third-place finishers also make the knockout phase (Round of 32).
World Cup history
Panama are at their second-ever World Cup, having debuted at Russia 2018. They lost all three group-stage matches at that tournament.
How Panama qualified
The Central American side qualified by topping Concacaf qualifying Group A with 12 points.
Six Concacaf teams qualified directly for the World Cup.
