PANAMA CITY, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- Panama will step up its 2026 FIFA World Cup preparations with a friendly against Bolivia next month, the Panamanian Football Federation (FPF) said on Wednesday.

The match will be played at IV Centenario Stadium in the southern Bolivian city of Tarija on January 18, the FPF said in a statement.

It will fall outside an official FIFA international window, meaning the fixture will mainly feature players from local clubs.

Panama has been drawn in the World Cup's Group L alongside Ghana, Croatia and England. Bolivia, meanwhile, will vie for one of two qualification spots at the FIFA inter-confederation playoffs in Mexico.

The South American side will meet Suriname on March 26, with the winner to face Iraq five days later for a place in the World Cup group stage. ■