Of course, it was an April Fool's joke - the only fake news you'll find, once a year, on this website.
Panama will take part in the World Cup for the first time, but at least so far there is no indication that the national team will be stopping in Malta on its way to Russia.
No doubt, their participation in the World Cup will be closely followed in Malta, given the connections of the past five years.
***
Earlier
The national football team of Panama will be visiting Malta in early June, one week before flying to Russia to take part in the World Cup for the first time.
Panama qualified at the expense of the more experienced Costa Rica, and were drawn to play in the same group with England, Belgium and Tunisia.
The 23 players and staff will be arriving in Malta on 6 June, staying here for three days before continuing their journey to Russia to complete their preparation. Panama’s first game is against Belgium on 18 June in Sochi.
Sources in the Tourism Ministry said Tourism Minister Konrad Mizzi was delighted that a World Cup squad has chosen Malta ahead of such a historic event for the tiny nation.
Panama will be holding their training sessions at the Hibernians ground, run by the club Mizzi supports.
It is believed that the presence of the Panamanian national team in Malta before the World Cup will serve to enhance the relations between the two countries, which have grown stronger in the last five years.
“Panama is a country with many hidden assets that the Maltese would do well to learn about,” the sources said. “Panama is a tiny nation with little football history. Their qualification to the World Cup should serve as an example to other small nations, such as Malta, to try harder to make it to the top football stage”.
It is understood that some 200 travellers from Panama will be accompanying the team in Russia, and they will also be stopping in Malta for three days.
“The government’s tourism policy is aimed to attract travellers from distant countries. Panama is one such country,” the sources added.
It is possible that a Tourism Ministry delegation will be visiting Panama to reciprocate, but no date has been set.