Trinidad and Tobago, Curaçao continue World Cup aspirations | OneFootball

MIAMI – The Final Round of the Concacaf Qualifiers to the 2026 FIFA World Cup continues with Trinidad and Tobago hosting Curaçao on Friday in Group B at Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.

Trinidad and Tobago will make a seventh appearance in a Final Round of the Qualifiers. The Soca Warriors advanced to the decisive stage with a second-place finish in Group B in the Second Round, with seven points and a 2-1-1 record. The nation last secured a World Cup berth for the 2006 edition.

Curaçao returns to the Final Round for the third time after claiming first place in Group C in the Second Round with a perfect 4-0-0 record and 12 points. The nation seeks a historic first appearance at the FIFA World Cup.

The occasion presents the sixth encounter in FIFA World Cup Qualifiers and overall 15th meeting between the Caribbean nations. Trinidad and Tobago leads the series with seven wins to three for Curaçao, while four matches resulted in draws.

All-Time series

It will be the 15th meeting in history between Trinidad & Tobago and Curaçao, with the Soca Warriors leading the series with 7 wins, 3 defeats, and 4 draws.

In FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, this will be their 6th meeting, with Trinidad & Tobago having recorded two wins and three draws. They have not faced each other since the qualifiers for the Korea & Japan 2002 World Cup, when Trinidad & Tobago won the series 6-1 on aggregate. In the first leg, a 5-0 victory on March 4, 2000, at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain (TRI), goals came from Marvin Andrews, Angus Eve (2), and Arnold Dwarika (2). In the return leg on March 18, 2000, at the Ergilio Hato Stadium in Willemstad (CUW), the match ended 1-1, with the home side scoring through Angelo Martina and Marvin Andrews netting for the visitors.

In the Final Round of qualifiers, they will meet for the second time, their last encounter coming 51 years ago, in the qualifiers for the Germany 1974 World Cup, on Matchday 5 of the Hexagonal, December 17, 1973, at the Sylvio Cator Stadium in Port-au-Prince (HAI). Trinidad & Tobago won 4-0 with goals from Steve David (3) and an own goal by Sigfried Brunken.

For Trinidad & Tobago, this will be their 7th participation in the Final Round of FIFA World Cup

Qualifiers, beginning with Germany 1974 (2nd place, eliminated), Italy 1990 (3rd place, eliminated), Korea & Japan 2002 (6th place, last), Germany 2006 (4th place, qualified after winning the Play-in 2-1 on aggregate against Bahrain with a goal by Dennis Lawrence), South Africa 2010 (6th place, eliminated, last), and Russia 2018 (6th place, eliminated).

Curaçao returns to the Final Round of FIFA World Cup Qualifiers after 51 years, making their third appearance after Chile 1962 (3rd place, eliminated) and Germany 1974 (6th place, eliminated).

Top scorer for Trinidad & Tobago in the Final Round: Stern John (9), Steve David (7).

Top scorer for Curaçao in the Final Round: Edwin Loran (2).

All-Time series:

14 matches

7 wins Trinidad & Tobago, 24 goals

4 draws

3 wins Curaçao, 13 goals