Curaçao and different small nations make Fifa World Cup historical past : NPR

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 succeed in the most important stage in world 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 the US, Mexico, and Canada subsequent summer season.

Whereas a number of main European, Africa and Asian soccer groups did not qualify, together with Nigeria, China, India, Greece, Serbia, and Hungary, a number of small nations have made world headlines by securing their place in subsequent summer season’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 identified 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 file by changing into the least populous nation ever to succeed in the FIFA World Cup.

Residence 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 some extent of comparability, the World Cup remaining subsequent summer season will probably 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 restrictions of getting a small inhabitants, Curaçao, a Dutch Caribbean nation, has principally recruited gamers born within the Netherlands for its World Cup squad. The nation grew to become an autonomous territory throughout the Kingdom of the Netherlands in 2010 following the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles.

“Curaçao, like fairly a couple of examples of smaller nations, have been good at tapping into the diaspora, ringing anybody who may need a distant relative related to their nation,” defined Carl Worswick, an impartial sports activities journalist and soccer specialist.

Haiti

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

“They have been dwelling the disaster in full scale… They have not been capable of prepare or play in Haiti for years due to 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, based on Isaac: “This actually got here as a sort of unimaginable boon, morally, for the nation.”

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 through Getty Pictures

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CLARENS SIFFROY/AFP through Getty Pictures

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 succeed in the World Cup, with a inhabitants of roughly 600,000.

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

Panama

One other small nation, Panama, will probably 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 motive 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 international locations 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 have fun 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 avenue events and parades as international locations have fun their {qualifications}, the street to the World Cup continues to be lengthy.

“I feel everybody assumes that, good, this could solely be an excellent factor… however there’s a lesson to be discovered, it isn’t all the time constructive,” stated soccer knowledgeable Worswick.

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

However for international locations like Haiti, simply qualifying could also be sufficient: “The individuals are struggling and so they’ve been struggling for years,” says Isaac, “and so they’re simply asking for hope, and that is what the workforce introduced them.”