Curaçao has entered Guinness World Records as the smallest country by population to ever qualify for the FIFA World Cup, just days after making its tournament debut at the 2026 edition.
On Tuesday, Guinness World Records presented the official certificate to the President of the Curaçao Football Federation, Gilbert Martina, in Houston, USA. The Caribbean island nation qualified with a population of just 156,115 people, surpassing the previous record held by Iceland, which had about 350,000 residents during its 2018 qualification.
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Guinness confirmed that Curaçao secured its historic spot on 19 November 2025 with a 0–0 draw against Jamaica in Kingston. Managed by Dutch coach Dick Advocaat, the “Blue Wave” topped their CONCACAF third-round qualifying group with three wins and three draws from six matches to complete what many have called a football fairytale.
The achievement has drawn global attention to the island of just over 150,000 people. Curaçao played its first World Cup match on Sunday, June 14, losing 7–1 at the tournament co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Despite the result, the team’s qualification remains a landmark moment for one of the smallest nations to ever reach football’s biggest stage.
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