With its 48-team format, the 2026 World Cup is already certain to welcome newcomers like Jordan and Uzbekistan. And the big surprise could come from Curaçao.
This Caribbean island, a former Dutch colony, is currently leading its group at the halfway point. After a 0-0 against Trinidad and Tobago and a victory against Bermuda (3-2), including a double from Tahith Chong (trained at Manchester United), Curaçao defied the predictions on Friday evening.
The team led by a certain Dick Advocaat managed to beat Jamaica (2-0), thanks to goals from Livano Comenencia (Zürich) and Kenji Gorré (Maccabi Haifa). And here is Curaçao at the top of its group, with 7 points halfway through, ahead of Jamaica (6 points).
Curaçao, it would be a record
The road is still long, because “La Familia Azul” still has to play three away matches, including one in Jamaica. But the feat is possible for the current 84th nation in the Fifa rankings.
With its 155,000 inhabitants, Curaçao could become the least populated country to qualify for a World Cup, a record currently held by Iceland (340,000 inhabitants in 2018).
