Dick Advocaat will set a new World Championship record. © APA/afp / PIETER STAM DE JONGE

The microstate of Curacao qualifies as the smallest country for the World Cup

The tiny Caribbean nation of Curaçao has sensationally qualified for the FIFA World Cup, setting a new record. Never before has a country with fewer inhabitants secured a ticket to the World Cup.

19 November 2025

From: dpa/sn

A 0-0 draw in Jamaica was enough for the small island nation off the coast of Venezuela to defend their undefeated first place in Group B of the CONCACAF qualification and secure their participation in the World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico.

Coach Dick Advocaat couldn't even be present, as the Dutchman had traveled to his home country for family reasons. "It was a difficult decision to leave the lads. But family is more important than football," Advocaat said in a statement before the match. According to media reports, he was in contact with the team manager by telephone from the Netherlands.

Curacao will have to tremble for a long time.

Jamaica hit the woodwork three times in the second half, while Curacao had to endure some anxious moments in the fourth minute of stoppage time. A penalty initially awarded to Jamaica by the referee from El Salvador was overturned after a VAR review.



Curaçao is participating in a FIFA World Cup for the first time. According to the national statistics office, the country had 156.115 inhabitants in January – not even half the population of Iceland, which qualified for a World Cup in 2018 as the smallest FIFA nation to date. Advocaat, at 78, will become the oldest manager ever to lead a team at a World Cup next year. The record is held by German Otto Rehhagel, who managed Greece at the 2010 finals at the age of 71.

Haiti is participating for the first time since 1974

Besides Curaçao, two other CONCACAF teams also qualified for the World Cup. Panama secured their second World Cup appearance after 2018 with a 3-0 victory against El Salvador. Haiti won Group C with a 2-0 win against Nicaragua, prevailing against the favored teams from Honduras and Costa Rica. Haiti's only previous World Cup appearance was at the 1974 tournament in Germany.

Jamaica and Suriname still have a chance of qualifying for the World Cup. The duo will compete in the intercontinental play-off. Their potential opponents there are Iraq, Bolivia, New Caledonia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.