A small island with a big dream: The Curaçao team qualified for the FIFA World Cup for the first time
On the night of November 18-19, the Curaçao national football team qualified for the World Cup for the first time in its history. It became the smallest country to participate in the tournament. The island's population is approximately 156,000.
Curaçao Football Federation President Gilbert Martina stated that the team's qualification for the World Cup is an extraordinary achievement. He believes the team can already consider itself champions.
Curaçao is a small state within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. From 1954 to 2010, the island was part of the Netherlands Antilles. According to the 2023 census, the island's population is 155,800. Curaçao will also represent the smallest territory in World Cup history. Its area is only 444 square kilometers—smaller than cities such as Orsk and Makhachkala.
Residents of the island nation of Curaçao took to the streets to celebrate the national team's first-ever appearance at the World Cup.
