Road to 2026 FIFA World Cup: Curaçao

The Blue Wave began its memorable campaign with 12 points and a perfect 4-0-0 record.

MIAMI – The Concacaf Qualifiers to the 2026 FIFA World Cup concluded with three nations booking their spots in next year’s tournament, including first time participant Curaçao .

Curaçao become the smallest nation to qualify for a World Cup. Led by Dutch manager Dick Advocaat, the nation earned one of the three direct berths alongside Panama and Haiti to join co-hosts Canada, Mexico, and the USA as Concacaf representatives in 2026.

The Blue Wave began its memorable campaign with 12 points and a perfect 4-0-0 record to top Group C in the Second Round. The Caribbean nation defeated Barbados 4-1, Aruba 2-nil, Saint Lucia 4-nil, and Haiti 5-1 en route to advancing to the Final Round.

Curaçao opened the Final Round picking up four points in the September window. First, playing out a goalless draw in Trinidad and Tobago, before earning a 3-2 victory at home over Bermuda. In October, Curaçao obtained a statement 2-nil home win over Jamaica to jump to first in the group, followed by a 1-1 draw against Trinidad and Tobago.

The pivotal November window began with a dominant 7-nil win on the road against Bermuda. What followed was a decisive visit to Jamaica in the final matchday to defend the top spot and secure direct qualification. A goalless draw in Kingston saw Curaçao close out the Final Round in first place in Group B with 12 points and an undefeated 3-3-0 record to make history by qualifying to the World Cup for the first time.

Curaçao’s qualifying campaign was fueled by top performances from players like Gervane Kastaneer , who led the team with five goals, and midfielder Leandro Bacuna , who led the nation with three assists. Goalkeeper Eloy Room stood out leading the defensive line and a mainstay in the team’s lineups throughout its 10 matches, contributing 30 saves and posting six clean sheets.