Curaçao, the smallest country ever to feature at the World Cup | OneFootball

We anticipated it a few days ago, after their 7-0 victory against Bermuda; Curaçao was one match, one draw, one point away from qualifying for the 2026 World Cup and playing in a World Cup for the first time in its history. But the odds were against them, as they were playing against the Jamaica National Team in Kingston. The Reggae Boyz, if they had won, would have qualified, but it ended in a 0-0 draw that unleashed the euphoria of the Caribbean team.

And although the 2026 World Cup will feature teams like Haiti, Cape Verde, Jordan, or Uzbekistan, Curaçao's qualification will mean that the former Dutch colony will become the smallest country in World Cup history, with an area of just 444 km² and a length of only 60 kilometers. Likewise, it is the least populated country to play in a World Cup, with a registered population of around 156,000 inhabitants.

In the 2026 World Cup, Curaçao will become the smallest country to play in a World Cup.

Curaçao, the team without players born in their country that will play in the 2026 World Cup

As if that weren't enough, Curaçao's utopian qualification was achieved with an almost entirely foreign-born lineup, but with roots and ancestors tying them to what was once known as the Netherlands Antilles. After its dissolution, Curaçao reemerged and, in 2011, joined FIFA to start competing internationally.

The qualification was achieved with players mostly born in the Netherlands, hailing from cities like Rotterdam, Breda, Groningen, or Nijmegen. In fact, they did it without their coach, Dick Advocaat, in the stadium. Due to family matters, he had to return home and missed the historic match.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.