Felipe Baloy takes the reins of the Panama U-17 team with his sights set on the next World Cup
The former captain of the Panamanian national team will lead the youth project towards the Concacaf U-17 Qualifier to be played in Panama City
Former captain of the Panamanian national football team, Felipe Baloy, has been confirmed as the new coach of the men's U-17 team, with the main objective of qualifying the national team for the U-17 World Cup in Qatar 2026. The appointment marks The beginning of a new stage for the development of Panamanian youth football.
The choice of Baloy is due to his international experience, leadership, and knowledge of the local environment, qualities that the Panamanian Football Federation (Fepafut) considers key to empowering new generations.
Felipe Baloy, new leader of Panama's U-17 project
Fepafut officially announced the appointment and highlighted that the new strategist will face an immediate and highly demanding challenge in the international youth calendar.
“Baloy will have his first major challenge next year, when Panama once again hosts the 2026 Concacaf Men's U-17 Qualifier, a tournament that will be played from February 3 to 12 at the Rommel Fernandez Gutierrez Stadium in Panama City,” the Panamanian Football Federation (Fepafut) reported this Monday.
Panama will host the U-17 Qualifier of Concacaf 2026
The Concacaf 2026 Men's Under-17 Qualifier will once again be held in Panama, a condition that represents a sporting and logistical advantage for the national team. The tournament will be played from February 3 to 12 at the Rommel Fernandez Gutierrez Stadium, an emblematic venue for Panamanian football.
This competition will award tickets to the 2026 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar, one of the main strategic objectives of the Panamanian Football Federation (Fepafut) in its comprehensive development plan.
A key challenge for the future of Panamanian football
The arrival of Felipe Baloy to the Panamanian Under-17 team reinforces the federation's intention to consolidate long-term processes, relying on historical figures of national football to lead youth categories.
With home advantage, institutional support, and a defined schedule,Panama will seek to reposition itself among the elite of youth football in the region and secure its presence in the next U-17 World Cup. The countdown has already begun, and all eyes will be on Baloy's debut on the bench, in a tournament that could shape the course of Panamanian football in the coming years.