Curaçao has become the smallest country ever to qualify for a FIFA World Cup, securing their place with a 0-0 draw against Jamaica on the final day of Concacaf qualifying. The Caribbean island, home to just 156,115 people and covering 444 square kilometers, topped Group B undefeated with 12 points, surpassing Iceland’s previous record set in 2018.
The team, managed by former Premier League coach Dick Advocaat, went through the qualifying campaign without a loss, including a dominant 7-0 victory over Bermuda. Advocaat, who has previously managed the Netherlands, South Korea, Belgium, and Russia, missed the final match against Jamaica due to personal reasons.
Alongside Curaçao, Panama and Haiti also booked spots for the tournament. Panama finished Group A in first place with 12 points, defeating El Salvador 3-0, while Haiti emerged as Group C winners after beating Nicaragua 2-1. Both Honduras and Costa Rica failed to qualify this year.
Curaçao will learn their group stage opponents for their first World Cup appearance when the draw takes place on December 5 at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. Meanwhile, Jamaica and Suriname, as second-place finishers, will compete in a six-team inter-federation playoff in March for the final two spots in the 2026 tournament.
Curaçao’s historic qualification marks a remarkable achievement for a tiny nation, demonstrating that size does not limit ambition on the world stage.
