Panama and Honduras Clash in Central American Showdown to Open Gold Cup Quarterfinals

The 2025 Gold Cup quarterfinals kick off Saturday in Glendale, Arizona, with a fierce regional rivalry as Panama faces Honduras. According to Concacaf.com, it's their sixth all-time Gold Cup meeting but the first in a knockout round.

Panama impressed in the group stage, winning all three matches and scoring 10 goals — their highest total in a group phase. Forward Ismael Díaz leads the tournament with five goals, tying Gabriel Torres’ Panamanian record for most in a single edition.

Honduras rebounded from a Matchday 1 loss to Canada by beating El Salvador and Curaçao. All four of their goals were scored by different players: Álvarez, Palma, Ramírez, and Quioto.

Historically, Honduras leads the rivalry with 23 wins out of 47 games. In Gold Cup play, they also hold a 3-1 edge in five encounters. Still, Panama’s current form and attacking firepower make them slight favorites in what promises to be a tightly contested quarterfinal match.