Curucao become smallest nation to qualify for FIFA World Cup

Curacao have secured a place at the FIFA World Cup 2026, earning one of CONCACAF's automatic spots and joining the expanding 48-team tournament ho

Curacao have secured a place at the FIFA World Cup 2026, earning one of CONCACAF’s automatic spots and joining the expanding 48-team tournament hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.

The qualification marks a major milestone for the island’s football programme and places the Blue Wave on football’s biggest stage for the first time.

The achievement has been described as a fairytale run and a piece of CONCACAF history, with Curacao becoming the smallest nation ever to qualify for a World Cup by population and land area.

Curaçao by population and land size

With 155,000+ people, Curucao broke Iceland’s 2018 record as the country with the smallest population to play in the FIFA World Cup.

They also broke Trinidad and Tobago’s record as the country with the smallest land area to play in the World Cup.

around 444 km² or approximately 171 square miles.

Curucao’s unbeaten qualifying campaign

That status underlines how exceptional the campaign has been for a country with a player pool and resources far smaller than most of its rivals.

Curacao completed an unbeaten CONCACAF qualifying campaign and clinched top spot in Group B after a dramatic 0-0 draw with Jamaica in Kingston, a result that sealed their first-ever berth in the global finals.

The team’s defensive resilience and disciplined performances through the qualifying rounds were decisive in navigating a competitive regional path to qualification.

Curacao’s quick development

Fans and football observers have highlighted how quickly Curacao’s football has grown in the last decade, turning steady development into a historic breakthrough on the world stage. As the island prepares for next summer’s tournament, the spotlight will be on how this compact but ambitious nation translates qualifying momentum into performances against some of the world’s best teams.