Toronto prepares for Panama vs. Croatia World Cup showdown
Kickoff at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Toronto Stadium as fans from both nations march through the city.
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Toronto Stadium will host Panama and Croatia on Tuesday, June 23 at 7 p.m. ET in a critical World Cup match. Both teams are winless so far in the tournament, meaning a loss could jeopardize their chances of advancing from the group stage.
Fans from both countries have been buzzing ahead of the match. Ante Kvartuc, founder of CroatianSports.com, flew in from out of town and said he feels "fantastic" about the upcoming game. "I think we are going to win by two or three goals," he said, noting he expects Croatia to bounce back after losing to England. Diana Cerrud travelled from Panama City and expressed confidence in her team's chances. "We have to make the opportunity and make some goals," she said.
Panama fans began marching at 3 p.m. from Trinity-Bellwoods Park to Coronation Park, just outside Toronto Stadium. Toronto police said road closures will be in effect and traffic delays are expected in the area.
Croatian fans are expected to kick off their march at 5:30 p.m. from Dufferin Gate, heading toward the stadium. One of the highlights will be a 100-metre Croatian flag being carried during the march—a tradition that began at the 2022 Qatar World Cup. The flag weighs 90 kilograms and was transported from Texas following the Croatia-England match.