Curaçao and other small nations make Fifa World Cup history : NPR

BOGOTA, Colombia — Several stories capture the magic of next year World Cup just like Curacao, a small Caribbean country that has defied history, geography and all expectations of reaching the biggest stage in world football.

With 42 of the 48 spots already filled for the 2026 World Cup, the tournament is already shaping up to be historic as several other outsider nations challenge the odds to play in the event co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada next summer.

While several major European, African and Asian football teams, including Nigeria, China, India, Greece, Serbia and Hungary, failed to qualify, several smaller countries made global headlines by securing a place in next summer's competition, some for the first time.

From Curacao to Cape Verde, here's a look at some of the minnows who have earned a spot at the 2026 World Cup.

Curacao

Until now, the tiny Caribbean country of Curacao was better known for its turquoise blue liquor and sun-drenched beaches than its football exploits. But after a 0-0 draw with Jamaica on Tuesday, the former Dutch colony set an all-time record by becoming the least populous country ever to take part in a World Cup.

House approx. 150,000 people and is located in the southern Caribbean off the coast of Venezuela – it has surpassed Iceland as the smallest country to compete in the world's most prestigious football tournament.

For comparison, next summer's World Cup final will be played in MetLife Stadium in New Jerseyaccommodating 82,500 people – more than half the population of Curacao.

To overcome the limitations of its small population, Curacao, a Dutch Caribbean country, recruits mostly Dutch-born players for its World Cup team. The country became an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of the Netherlands in 2010 following the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles.

“Curacao, like many examples of smaller countries, is good at tapping into the diaspora, calling anyone who may have a distant relative connected to their country,” explained Carl Worswick, a freelance sports journalist and football specialist.

Haiti

Another underdog to qualify for the international tournament is Haiti, who qualified for the first time since 1974 despite many obstacles at home; The Caribbean country is facing an acute security and humanitarian crisis that has affected all sectors of society, including football players.

“They are experiencing a crisis on a full scale… They haven't been able to train or play in Haiti for years because of gang violence,” said Harold Isaac, a Haitian journalist based in Port-au-Prince.

Haiti's coach since 2024, Frenchman Sebastien Migne, has never been to the country where gangs control 90% of the capital Port-au-Prince.

Given the turmoil many Haitians are living in, Isaac said, the World Cup qualification was a glimmer of hope: “It really was kind of an unimaginable moral good for the country.”

Cape Verde

Cape Verde, a small Atlantic archipelago off the coast of West Africa, qualified for the World Cup for the first time last month by beating the southern African nation of Eswatini 3-0. Before Curaçao qualified, Cape Verde was the second most populous country to take part in the World Cup, with a population of approximately 600,000.

The former Portuguese colony has also recruited players from its diaspora, with its team notably including centre-back Roberto Lopez, who was born in Ireland to an Irish mother and a Cape Verdean father.

Panama

Another small country, Panama, will return to the World Cup after making its tournament debut in 2018.

The Central American country of four and a half million people beat El Salvador on Tuesday to clinch its place in the competition. In 2018, Panama finished last in their group with zero points and now have a chance of redemption.

The main reason that several small countries in the Americas have qualified for the tournament is because Canada, Mexico and the United States are hosting it. As hosts, these countries automatically qualify, leaving more room for other countries in the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Football to win a place.

What's next for the minnows?

While social media is filled with videos of street parties and parades as countries celebrate their qualification, the road to the World Cup is still long.

“I think everyone thinks it can only be a good thing… but there is a lesson to be learned and it's not always a positive one,” said football pundit Worswick.

He stressed the importance of national football associations investing in their players and teams, citing high-profile scandals that have marred some countries' World Cup debuts. Worswick explained that while qualifying for the World Cup puts a country on the map, it often also raises complex issues related to team finances, preparation and pressure at home.

But for countries like Haiti, one qualification may be enough: “People are suffering, and they've been suffering for years,” says Isaac, “and they're just asking for hope, and that's what the team gave them.”