Ghana make World Cup history with victory over Panama

Ghana became the most successful African nation in FIFA World Cup history after edging Panama 1-0 in Toronto on Wednesday to record their sixth victory on football’s biggest stage.

The Black Stars’ hard-fought win in their opening Group L match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup saw them move ahead of Nigeria in terms of World Cup success, reaching six victories in just 16 matches. Nigeria have also won six World Cup games, but required 21 matches to achieve the same feat.

Ghana were made to work for the historic result by a resilient Panama side, with clear-cut chances proving difficult to come by during a closely contested first half.

However, the Black Stars looked a different side after the break. The introductions of Abdul Fatawu Issahaku and Brandon Thomas-Asante injected pace, energy and creativity into the attack, allowing Ghana to take control of proceedings before securing the decisive goal.

The victory not only handed Ghana three valuable points in their bid to qualify for the knockout stage but also cemented their place at the top of Africa’s all-time FIFA World Cup winners’ list.

Cameroon, the continent’s first World Cup quarter-finalists, remain third with five victories from 26 matches, while Morocco and Senegal have each recorded five wins from 23 and 11 games respectively.

Since making their World Cup debut in Germany in 2006, Ghana have established themselves as one of Africa’s most consistent performers on the global stage. They reached the Round of 16 in their first appearance before making history four years later in South Africa by becoming only the third African nation to reach the quarter-finals.

Their latest triumph adds another memorable chapter to that legacy and underlines the Black Stars’ enduring reputation as one of Africa’s leading football nations.

Ghana now turn their attention to sterner Group L tests against England and Croatia, with hopes that their historic opening victory will provide the momentum for another impressive World Cup campaign.

Most FIFA World Cup wins by African nations:

1. Ghana – 6 wins (16 matches)
2. Nigeria – 6 wins (21 matches)
3. Cameroon – 5 wins (26 matches)
4. Morocco – 5 wins (23 matches)
5. Senegal – 5 wins (11 matches)

Jamaldeen Wiayuka

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