Curaçao to Cape Verde: Small nations make massive World Cup historical past

BOGOTA, Colombia — Few tales seize the magic of subsequent 12 months’s FIFA World Cup fairly like Curaçao—a small Caribbean nation that has defied historical past, geography, and each expectation to achieve the largest stage in international soccer.

With 42 of the 48 spots to compete within the 2026 World Cup now stuffed, the event is already shaping as much as be a historic one, with a number of different underdog nations defying the percentages to play on the occasion collectively hosted by america, Mexico, and Canada subsequent summer time.

Whereas a number of main European, Africa and Asian soccer groups didn’t qualify, together with Nigeria, China, India, Greece, Serbia, and Hungary, a number of small nations have made international headlines by securing their place in subsequent summer time’s competitors, some for the primary time.

From Curaçao to Cape Verde, here’s a take a look at among the minnows who’ve earned a spot within the 2026 World Cup

Curaçao

Till now, the tiny Caribbean nation of Curaçao was higher recognized for its turquoise-blue liqueur and sun-soaked seashores than for its soccer feats. However after drawing 0–0 with Jamaica on Tuesday, the previous Dutch colony set a historic report by turning into the least populous nation ever to achieve the FIFA World Cup.

Dwelling to roughly 150,000 folks and situated within the southern Caribbean simply off the coast of Venezuela— it has surpassed Iceland because the smallest nation to compete on the earth’s most prestigious soccer event.

As a degree of comparability, the World Cup remaining subsequent summer time can be performed on the MetLife stadium in New Jersey, which has a capability of 82,500 – greater than half of Curaçao’s inhabitants.

To beat the constraints of getting a small inhabitants, Curaçao, a Dutch Caribbean nation, has largely recruited gamers born within the Netherlands for its World Cup squad. The nation turned an autonomous territory inside the Kingdom of the Netherlands in 2010 following the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles.

“Curaçao, like quite a few examples of smaller nations, have been good at tapping into the diaspora, ringing anyone who might have a distant relative connected to their country,” defined Carl Worswick, an impartial sports activities journalist and soccer specialist.

Haiti

One other underdog to achieve the worldwide event is Haiti, which has certified for the primary time since 1974, regardless of a raft of obstacles at house; the Caribbean nation is going through an acute safety and humanitarian disaster which has impacted each sector of society, together with soccer gamers.

“They’ve been living the crisis in full scale… They haven’t been able to train or play in Haiti for years because of the gang violence,” stated Harold Isaac, a Haitian journalist based mostly in Port-au-Prince.

Haiti’s coach since 2024, Frenchman Sebastien Migne, has by no means been to the nation, the place gangs management 90% of the capital metropolis Port-au-Prince.

Given the turmoil that many Haitians stay with, the World Cup qualification has been a glimmer of hope, in keeping with Isaac: “This really came as a kind of unimaginable boon, morally, for the country.”

Followers cheer within the streets of Port-au-Prince on Nov. 18, 2025 as Haiti celebrates its victory over Nicaragua and qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

CLARENS SIFFROY/AFP by way of Getty Photos

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CLARENS SIFFROY/AFP by way of Getty Photos

Cape Verde

Cape Verde, a small Atlantic archipelago off the coast of West Africa, certified for the World Cup for the primary time final month when it beat the southern African nation of Eswatini 3-0. Earlier than Curaçao certified, Cape Verde had been the second-least populous nation to achieve the World Cup, with a inhabitants of roughly 600,000.

The previous Portuguese colony has additionally recruited from its diaspora, with its crew notably that includes Middle-back Roberto Lopes, who was born in Eire to an Irish mom and Cape Verdean father.

Panama

One other small nation, Panama, can be making a return to the World Cup after its 2018 debut on the event.

The Central American nation of 4 and a half million folks beat El Salvador Tuesday to earn its place within the competitors. In 2018, Panama completed on the backside of its group with zero factors and can now have an opportunity at redemption.

A key purpose that a number of small nations within the Americas have certified for the event is as a result of Canada, Mexico and the U.S. are internet hosting it. As hosts, these nations robotically qualify, leaving extra room for different nations within the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Affiliation Soccer to win a spot.

Curacao gamers rejoice qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup after their sport with Jamaica in Kingston, Jamaica, Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025.

Collin Reid/AP

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Collin Reid/AP

What’s subsequent for the minnows?

Whereas social media is flooded with movies of road events and parades as nations rejoice their {qualifications}, the street to the World Cup continues to be lengthy.

“I think everyone assumes that, brilliant, this can only be a good thing… but there is a lesson to be learned, it’s not always positive,” stated soccer knowledgeable Worswick.

He confused the significance of nationwide Soccer Associations investing funds into their gamers and groups, citing high-profile scandals which have marred some nations’ World Cup debuts. Worswick defined that whereas qualifying for the World Cup places a rustic on the map, it typically additionally brings sophisticated points surrounding crew funds, preparation, and strain at house.

However for nations like Haiti, simply qualifying could also be sufficient: “The people are suffering and they’ve been suffering for years,” says Isaac, “and they’re just asking for hope, and this is what the team brought them.”