WILLEMSTAD — Curacao qualified for its first-ever FIFA World Cup finals after a goalless draw with Jamaica in November 2025 secured top spot in CONCACAF Group B. The Caribbean island, with a population of just over 150,000, will become the smallest country ever to compete at a FIFA World Cup when the tournament kicks off on June 11, 2026.

The self-governing entity within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which covers 443 square kilometres (171 square miles), surpasses Iceland, which had a population of around 350,000 when it qualified in 2018. The 2026 tournament is being expanded to 48 teams for the first time, and Curacao is one of four debutants.

Curacao played ten matches during qualification, won seven, and finished unbeaten. In the second round, the team beat Barbados, Aruba, Saint Lucia, and Haiti, scoring 15 goals. In the third and final round, Curacao was placed in Group B alongside Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and Bermuda. The campaign opened with a 0-0 draw away to Trinidad and Tobago, followed by a 3-2 home win over Bermuda, a 2-0 home victory over Jamaica, a 1-1 draw with Trinidad and Tobago, and a 7-0 win against Bermuda. In the final fixture against Jamaica, a VAR review overturned a penalty awarded to Jamaica in stoppage time, preserving the draw that sealed qualification.

"It's an impossibility that is made possible," said Kenji Gorre, who scored three goals during qualification. "It's literally impossible for such a small island, such a small 150,000 population, and now to go to the biggest pinnacle of football is unbelievable."

Dick Advocaat led Curacao to the finals and described the achievement as "the craziest thing" he had achieved in a managerial career spanning nearly four decades. Advocaat stepped down four months before the tournament due to his daughter's ill health, and Fred Rutten was named head coach. On May 11, 2026, Rutten stepped down to protect the squad's professional environment after calls from players and sponsors to reinstate Advocaat. The following day, Advocaat returned to the role following improvements in his daughter's medical condition, making him the oldest manager in World Cup history.

Gervane Kastaneer was Curacao's top scorer during qualification with five goals in six matches, including a hat-trick against Saint Lucia. Rangelo Janga, the country's all-time leading scorer with 21 goals, scored a hat-trick against Barbados. The majority of the squad are Dutch-born with family links that make them eligible to play for Curacao, including Manchester United academy product Tahith Chong, a 26-year-old midfielder, and 22-year-old right-back Livano Comenencia.

Juninho Bacuna, who played for the Netherlands at U-18, U-20, and U-21 levels before switching allegiance to Curacao in 2019, said of his decision: "It was a big decision." Bacuna also scored three goals during the qualification campaign.

Curacao are in Group E at the 2026 World Cup, alongside Germany, Ecuador, and Ivory Coast, and will play all their group games in the United States. The team faces Germany on June 14 at Houston Stadium, Ecuador on June 20 at Kansas City Stadium, and Ivory Coast on June 25 at Philadelphia Stadium.