Curaçao becomes smallest country ever to qualify for World Cup in terms of population

Curacao made history by winning a 0-0 draw against Jamaica on Tuesday.

For the first time, they qualified for the World Cup. They also became the smallest country, in terms of population, to qualify for a World Cup.

They finished as the only undefeated nation in the qualifying tournament and finished atop Group B with 12 points. They made history despite the absence of head coach Dick Advocaat on the bench.

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Advocaat missed the match as he was in the Netherlands for family reasons.

According to the Central Bureau of Statistics of Curaçao, the country had 156,115 inhabitants last January. Before Curacao broke the record, Iceland held the title as the smallest nation to ever compete in the World Cup.

When Iceland competed in the World Cup in 2018, its population was 352,000. Cape Verde, which like Curaçao qualified for the World Cup for the first time in its history, has the third smallest population among all competing nations.

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A member of the Curacao team celebrates qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup after a soccer match against Jamaica in Kingston, Jamaica, Tuesday, November 18, 2025. (Collin Reid/AP Photo)

Curaçao players celebrate their qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup after a football match against Jamaica. The match took place in Kingston, Jamaica on November 18, 2025. (Collin Reid/AP Photo)

Here is a list of the 10 smallest nations, in terms of population, to ever compete in the World Cup:

1. Curaçao, 2026 World Cup, population: 156,115 inhabitants
2. Iceland, 2018 World Cup, population: 352,000 inhabitants
3. Cape Verde, 2026 World Cup, population: 525,000 inhabitants
4. Trinidad and Tobago, 2006 World Cup, population: 1.3 million
5. Northern Ireland, 1958 World Cup, population: 1.4 million
6. Paraguay, 1950 World Cup, population: 1.5 million
7. Kuwait, 1982 World Cup, population: 1.7 million
8. United Arab Emirates, 1990 World Cup, population: 1.9 million
9. Slovenia, 2002 World Cup, population: 2 million
10. Uruguay, 1950 World Cup, population: 2.2 million

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