Curaçao, a small Caribbean nation with a population of less than 160,000, has made history by qualifying for the FIFA World Cup finals for the very first time after holding Jamaica to a 0-0 draw away from home. Their record of three wins and three draws allowed them to top CONCACAF Group B and secure their spot.

The tiny nation, an autonomous country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, has instantly shattered two major World Cup records:

Smallest Country by Area: At just 444 square kilometers, Curaçao is now the smallest nation by area to ever qualify, dwarfing the previous record of 4,033 square kilometers set by Cape Verde in the last international break.

Smallest Population: With a population of under 160,000, they easily surpass the previous record of approximately 300,000 held by Iceland (2018 World Cup).

Curaçao’s success is closely tied to its Dutch connections. The team is managed by former Netherlands national team coach Dick Advocaat, and remarkably, all 24 players on their roster were born in the Netherlands, with 15 having previously represented Dutch youth national teams.

Curaçao joins Uzbekistan, Jordan, and Cape Verde as one of the four newcomers to secure a spot in the 2026 World Cup finals.