Curacao on brink of making history as smallest-ever country to qualify for World Cup

Curacao are just one point away from becoming the smallest country ever to qualify for a World Cup.

The Caribbean island nation hammered Bermuda 7-0 on Thursday, moving to 11 points from five games at the top of Group B in Concacaf qualifying.

Just a single point against second-placed Jamaica on Nov. 19 will secure World cup history for Curacao.

With a population of only 156,115 and a land area of 444 km²—smaller than the Isle of Man—Curacao is on the verge of surpassing Iceland, who qualified for the 2018 World Cup, to become the tiniest country ever to reach a World Cup finals. Other small nations to have qualified include Cape Verde, who booked their spot for the 2026 tournament last month, and Trinidad and Tobago in 2006.

Curacao, located in the Caribbean Sea north of Venezuela, competes in Concacaf rather than against South American nations. The country consists of the main island of Curacao and the uninhabited Little Curacao, and languages spoken include Dutch, English, and Papiamento. Curacao became an autonomous nation in 2010 following the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles.

Despite their small size, Curacao boast several players with Premier League and top-flight experience. Managed by former Rangers and Sunderland boss Dick Advocaat, their squad features ex-Rangers and Birmingham City midfielder Juninho Bacuna and his brother Leandro Bacuna, who played for Aston Villa.

Borussia Dortmund striker Jordi Paulina scored twice in the 7-0 win over Bermuda, while Middlesbrough’s Sontje Hansen and Manchester United academy graduate Tahith Chong, now at Sheffield United, also contributed.

A point in their final qualifier against Jamaica would write Curacao into football history as the smallest nation to ever reach a World Cup finals.