Curacao Make History As Smallest Nation To Qualify For The FIFA World Cup

Curacao Become the Smallest Nation to Ever Qualify for a World Cup

Curacao have rewritten football history by becoming the smallest nation to qualify for a World Cup. The Caribbean island secured their place after a goalless draw against Jamaica, ending a journey that very few could have imagined even a few years ago.

The result also meant Jamaica missed out on automatic qualification, leading to the resignation of their head coach Steve McClaren. For Curacao, the night marked the beginning of one of the most remarkable football stories in recent times.

Historic Achievement for a Tiny Island

Curacao, with a population of just over 150,000 and a land area of only 171 square miles, are now the smallest country to qualify for a World Cup. They have taken the record from Iceland, who reached the 2018 tournament but are a much larger nation in comparison.

The island sits 37 miles off the coast of Venezuela and has been a country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands only since 2010. Just ten years ago, Curacao were ranked 150th in the FIFA rankings. Today they stand at 82nd, showing the scale of their dramatic rise.

A Big Night in Kingston

Jamaica needed a win in Kingston to reach the World Cup for the first time since 1998. They even believed they had earned the decisive moment when they were given a penalty deep into injury time.

The drama unfolded when Curacao substitute Jeremy Antonisse was judged to have fouled Isaac Hayden. Referee Ivan Barton pointed to the spot, sending the crowd into celebration. But the atmosphere quickly changed when VAR asked him to review the incident. After checking the replay on the touchline screen, he overturned the penalty decision, leaving Jamaica stunned.

The final whistle confirmed Curacao’s qualification and ensured they ended their campaign unbeaten, with seven wins from ten qualifying matches.

Oldest Coach in World Cup History

Curacao’s head coach Dick Advocaat did not attend the match due to personal reasons, but he still made history. At 78, he will become the oldest coach ever to manage at a World Cup. This breaks the previous record held by Otto Rehhagel, who led Greece at the 2010 tournament at the age of 71.

Players Celebrate a Dream Come True

Juninho Bacuna, who has played for Huddersfield, Rangers and Birmingham, expressed the emotions of the team before the match. He said that qualifying for the World Cup would be incredible and one of the biggest things ever to happen to Curacao.

He added that just a few years ago nobody even imagined the island could reach such a stage. Now, that dream has become a reality.

Newcomers at the 2026 Tournament

Curacao will join Cape Verde, Uzbekistan and Jordan as debutants at the expanded 2026 World Cup, which will have 48 teams instead of 32. With Canada, Mexico and the United States qualifying automatically as hosts, opportunities increased for other nations in the region.

Curacao’s rise is one of the standout stories of this qualification cycle and adds another layer of excitement to next summer’s tournament.

Other CONCACAF Teams Joining Curacao

Haiti and Panama have also secured their places at the World Cup from the CONCACAF region. Haiti will appear at the tournament for the first time since 1974 after defeating Nicaragua 2-0. Meanwhile, Jamaica will now have to fight for their place through the Intercontinental play-offs.