Panama have fulfilled their dreams by reaching their first World Cup. James Walker-Roberts speaks to Gary Stempel, a key figure in Panama’s footballing history, about how the journey started, how it has evolved, and why the country could “shut down” during the World Cup.
It’s two weeks before Panama play their first-ever World Cup match.
When Panama qualified for the tournament with a 2-1 win over Costa Rica in October, president Juan Carlos Varela signed a late-night decree to make the following day a public holiday, shutting schools and giving workers the day off.
He has thought about doing the same again, this time for all three of Panama’s Group G matches, but has decided against it. Instead, he has called on businesses to be “creative” to allow workers to watch the games.
“The important thing is that all Panamanians can see the three matches, and hopefully more than three matches, without affecting the economic and social development of the country,” he added.
It’s all quite different to when Gary Stempel landed in Panama in 1996.