Curacao Becomes the Smallest Nation Ever to Qualify for the World Cup
Curacao, a Caribbean island nation with just 156,000 people, has officially secured its spot at the World Cup after a hard-fought 0–0 draw against Jamaica in Kingston. The result was exactly what the ‘Blue Wave’ needed to book their ticket to the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
The draw capped off a remarkable qualifying run, with Curacao finishing top of Group B on 12 points from six matches, one point ahead of Jamaica. Their disciplined performance held off intense second-half pressure from the Reggae Boyz, completing what many are calling a fairytale campaign.
With qualification, Curacao becomes the smallest nation in history to reach the World Cup, overtaking Iceland whose population was around 350,000 when they qualified in 2018.
A historic moment for the island. A giant leap for Caribbean football.