Kingston: Curacao, a small Caribbean nation, has made history by qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, becoming the smallest country ever to achieve this feat. The island nation, an autonomous country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, has a population of just 155,000.

According to Azeri-Press News Agency, Curacao’s football team secured their World Cup spot by drawing 0-0 against Jamaica in Kingston. This result ensured their first-place finish in Group B of the Concacaf qualifying round for the 2026 North American World Cup. Despite none of the 24 squad members being born in Curacao, the team managed to qualify, surpassing the previous record held by Iceland, which qualified in 2018 with a population of around 350,000.

Curacao’s qualification marks November 18, 2025, as a new significant date for the nation, alongside other important national days such as October 10, April 27, and July 2. The team, under the leadership of former Premier League coach Dick Advocaat, remained unbeaten throughout the qualifying campaign, including a notable 7-0 victory over Bermuda.

Advocaat, who has previously managed the national teams of the Netherlands, South Korea, Belgium, and Russia, was absent during the match against Jamaica for personal reasons. Nevertheless, his leadership played a crucial role in guiding the team to this historic achievement.

Curacao will learn about their group stage opponents on December 5 when the World Cup draw takes place at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC.