Curaçao secures a historic spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup after drawing with Jamaica in a match that will be remembered for its dramatic twists. The tiny Caribbean nation of 156,000 has become the smallest country to ever qualify for the World Cup, following in the footsteps of Iceland, which achieved this feat four years ago.
The 0-0 draw between Curaçao and Jamaica was the final nail in the coffin for Jamaica's hopes of reaching the tournament through their own qualifying campaign. The Jamaicans had launched a furious attack in search of a winning goal, but were repeatedly thwarted by a resolute Curaçao defense.
One moment that will be etched in the memories of football fans is when Bailey-Tye Cadamarteri headed agonizingly close to a winner for Jamaica in the 87th minute. The drama continued as Jamaica was awarded a penalty after Jeremy Antonisse's sliding tackle brought down Dujuan Richards, only to have the decision overturned by the video assistant referee.
Curaçao's victory marked a historic moment for the team, with veteran coach Dick Advocaat watching from afar due to a family matter in the Netherlands. The Blue Wave's qualification is all the more remarkable given their population size and resources compared to other nations.
Haiti also secured an improbable qualification spot after beating Nicaragua 2-0 at home. Their victory, combined with Honduras' 0-0 draw with Costa Rica, left them top of Group C on 11 points from six games. Haiti's return to the World Cup is a testament to their resilience and determination.
With Panama securing their second World Cup appearance in three tournaments, Suriname squeezing into the playoff places, and Jamaica's coach Steve McClaren resigning despite being close to reaching the tournament, this qualification campaign has been marked by surprise twists and turns. As Curaçao celebrates their historic achievement, the world of football is left eagerly anticipating the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The 0-0 draw between Curaçao and Jamaica was the final nail in the coffin for Jamaica's hopes of reaching the tournament through their own qualifying campaign. The Jamaicans had launched a furious attack in search of a winning goal, but were repeatedly thwarted by a resolute Curaçao defense.
One moment that will be etched in the memories of football fans is when Bailey-Tye Cadamarteri headed agonizingly close to a winner for Jamaica in the 87th minute. The drama continued as Jamaica was awarded a penalty after Jeremy Antonisse's sliding tackle brought down Dujuan Richards, only to have the decision overturned by the video assistant referee.
Curaçao's victory marked a historic moment for the team, with veteran coach Dick Advocaat watching from afar due to a family matter in the Netherlands. The Blue Wave's qualification is all the more remarkable given their population size and resources compared to other nations.
Haiti also secured an improbable qualification spot after beating Nicaragua 2-0 at home. Their victory, combined with Honduras' 0-0 draw with Costa Rica, left them top of Group C on 11 points from six games. Haiti's return to the World Cup is a testament to their resilience and determination.
With Panama securing their second World Cup appearance in three tournaments, Suriname squeezing into the playoff places, and Jamaica's coach Steve McClaren resigning despite being close to reaching the tournament, this qualification campaign has been marked by surprise twists and turns. As Curaçao celebrates their historic achievement, the world of football is left eagerly anticipating the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
just imagine all those Jamaican fans who were like super close to making it to the World Cup... 
then that last minute tackle happened and it was all over for them 
. I mean, Curaçao's gotta be so hyped right now though 
they're literally the smallest country EVER to qualify for the World Cup! 
156,000 people making history is just wild 
Haiti's also doing well, it's amazing what they've achieved considering all the drama that's gone down in their qualifying campaign 
. Can't wait to see how it all unfolds at the World Cup 
oh man what a match!!! 
I mean who would've thought a tiny island nation with 156k people could qualify for the world cup?! 
it's like they're defying all odds 
and I am HERE. FOR. IT! 
Dick Advocaat must be so proud of his team 
and that last-minute drama? 
this is what makes football so amazing 
can't wait to see Curaçao take on the best teams in the world 
. Can we please focus on the actual teams that actually deserve to be there? Curaçao gets all this hype but have they even got a solid squad or something? 
I'm beyond hyped for Curaçao's historic spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup! I mean, who wouldn't want to see a tiny Caribbean nation with a population of just 156,000 take on the big boys? It's like the ultimate David vs Goliath story 
.
. Now Curaçao gets to bask in the glory 
and I'm not mad at 'em for that 
. But seriously though, this is all kinda weird 
. And what's with all these surprise teams making it? It's like the draw was rigged or somethin' 
. Panama's got a good shot at makin' some noise in the tournament, but I gotta say, I'm still on the fence about Suriname 
. It's like, if you're small in size or resources, but you've got a huge appetite for success, you can still achieve greatness 
. Anyway, this just proves that football is all about surprises and upsets - life's full of 'em too! 
! A whole tiny Caribbean nation like Curaçao just qualified for the WORLD CUP 
... I'm still on the edge of my seat just thinking about it 
!
! 156k ppl is crazy small to make it to the world cup, but i guess ur country's got some serious heart 
. they played so clutch against jamaica and that last min penalty was insane 
. i mean, we all thought jamaica had it in the bag, but curaçao pulled off a masterclass defense 
. But I guess it's all part of the game right? Either way, Curaçao's qualification is a total underdog story and I'm hyped for them 
. Can't wait to see how they do in the tournament!