With a population of just 1.5 lakh, Curaçao is on the verge of becoming the smallest nation to qualify for the FIFA World Cup.

Willemstad, Curaçao: The island nation of Curaçao has made history by becoming the smallest country by population to ever qualify for the FIFA World Cup. The country has a population of just 156,000 people. Curaçao broke the previous record set by Iceland, which qualified for the 2018 World Cup with a population of over 350,000.

This historic achievement was confirmed after Curaçao played a 0-0 draw against Jamaica in their final CONCACAF qualifying match. The team secured their World Cup spot by finishing first in Group B with 12 points, remaining undefeated in their campaign.

This qualification marks a major milestone for Caribbean football, showcasing the rise of a small nation on the global stage. The team was managed by veteran Dutch coach Dick Advocaat. Notably, Curaçao only became a member of FIFA in 2010 after the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles. From the CONCACAF region, Haiti and Panama have also qualified for the expanded 48-team World Cup in 2026, which will be held in the USA, Canada, and Mexico.