WILLEMSTAD, CURAÇAO — Curaçao has officially etched its name into the annals of football history, becoming the smallest nation by both land area and population to ever qualify for the FIFA World Cup. This monumental achievement was confirmed on the morning of November 19, 2025, after successfully navigating the challenging Concacaf regional qualifiers.
The Curaçao national team secured their automatic spot in the prestigious FIFA World Cup 2026, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Their qualification was sealed with a hard-fought goalless draw against Jamaica, a result that saw Curaçao finish atop Group B of the Concacaf qualifiers. Despite the draw, Jamaica, finishing second in the group, will still have an opportunity to qualify through the inter-confederation playoffs.
This marks a historic first for Curaçao football since the national team’s establishment in 1924. The island nation, part of the Dutch Caribbean, boasts a total land area of just 444 square kilometers and a population of over 155,000 residents. Their remarkable qualification surpasses the previous record held by Iceland, which became the smallest country to reach the World Cup finals in 2018. At the time, the European nation had an area of 103,125 square kilometers and a population of approximately 350,000.
As of November 19, 2025, a total of 42 teams have secured their places out of the expanded 48-team format for the 2026 World Cup. This includes the three host nations. The qualified teams represent a diverse global lineup:
* **Europe (UEFA):** Twelve teams have booked their tickets, including football powerhouses such as England, France, Croatia, Portugal, Norway, Germany, Netherlands, Scotland, Belgium, Switzerland, Spain, and Austria.
* **Asia (AFC):** Eight nations from the Asian confederation have qualified: Australia, Iran, Japan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan (marking their first-ever appearance), and Uzbekistan (also making their debut).
* **South America (CONMEBOL):** Six teams have advanced from South America, featuring the reigning champions Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, Uruguay, Colombia, and Paraguay.
* **Africa (CAF):** Nine African nations are set to compete: Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Ghana, Morocco, Cape Verde (a first-time qualifier), Ivory Coast, Senegal, and South Africa.
* **Concacaf:** In addition to the host nations (United States, Canada, and Mexico), Curaçao (making their historic debut), Haiti, and Panama have successfully qualified.
* **Oceania (OFC):** New Zealand stands as the sole qualifier from the Oceania confederation thus far.
