Curaçao becomes the world’s smallest country in terms of population to qualify for the World Cup
Curaçao’s scoreless tie with Jamaica guarantees its inaugural World Cup spot and establishes a new population milestone of approximately 150,000 residents.
Curaçao has achieved a remarkable milestone in global football by becoming the smallest nation by population to qualify for a World Cup. The team secured its position with a 0-0 draw against Jamaica on Tuesday, concluding the qualifiers unbeaten and finishing at the top of Group B with 12 points.
This achievement signifies Curaçao’s inaugural participation in the tournament, positioning it ahead of Iceland, which previously held the record with a population of just over 350,000 when it qualified for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. As of last January, Curaçao’s population was recorded at 156,115, as reported by the Central Bureau of Statistics.
The team achieved the milestone in the absence of coach Dick Advocaat on the sidelines. The 78-year-old, who has previously managed the Netherlands national team in three separate stints, along with South Korea, Belgium, and Russia, returned to the Netherlands last weekend for family reasons.
Curaçao will be accompanied at the World Cup by fellow CONCACAF qualifiers Panama and Haiti, both of which have also secured their spots.
