Curacao Makes History as Smallest Nation Ever to Qualify for the FIFA World Cup
Curacao has rewritten football history by becoming the smallest nation ever to qualify for the FIFA World Cup after holding Jamaica to a 0-0 draw in Kingston on Tuesday. With a population of only 156,000, the Caribbean island survived a relentless second-half push from the Reggae Boyz, earning the single point needed to secure their spot at the tournament in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The result crowned a stunning qualifying run for the “Blue Wave,” who finished at the top of Group B with 12 points from six matches—one point ahead of Jamaica. Curacao’s achievement breaks the previous record held by Iceland, which qualified for the 2018 World Cup with a population of about 350,000.