Tona Is is preparing Panama Women to face Canada on 28 November in Mansfield, Texas, with a 2027 World Cup place at stake. In an interview published by FIFA on 15 October, she says reaching Brazil has been the objective since the start of her tenure.
Friendlies support the preparation
Panama qualified for the Concacaf W Championship and selected strong friendly opposition to assess their progress. Tona Is names Costa Rica, Mexico, Venezuela, Peru, Jamaica and Australia among those opponents.
She recalls one win and one defeat in two games against Australia. Double-headers with Venezuela and Jamaica each produced an opening loss followed by a draw.
The coach sees improvement in confidence, possession and collective play. She also identifies limited time with the squad and the short domestic league season as practical challenges in developing the team.
Canada and the conditional route beyond
Tona Is recognises Canada's Olympic pedigree and the difficulty of a single decisive match. Her confidence in the players sits alongside the need to produce the required performance on the day.
If Panama need an alternative route, they could face Mexico or Haiti before continuing through the playoffs. The interview describes conditional possibilities rather than completed qualification steps.
Tona Is previously led Spain to the 2018 U17 Women's World Cup title and has experience in other youth tournaments. She wants her composure to help the players manage pressure.
The November fixture remains forthcoming. The friendly results provide a preparation baseline, not confirmation that Panama have already reached Brazil 2027.