How tiny Curacao made history by qualifying for the FIFA World Cup 2026
Updated On: 20 November, 2025 08:26 AM IST | Mumbai | Ronan Carvalho
As the tiny Caribbean island of Curacao, comprising just 156,000 inhabitants, becomes the smallest country to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, here’s a lowdown on the nation and its football prowess
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Curacao players celebrate qualifying for the 2026 World Cup on Tuesday. Pic/CONCACAF Instagram
Location: Curacao is a tiny island nation in the Caribbean Sea, located around 65 kms off the coast of Venezuela — the closest nation to it on the South American mainland. Curacao covers an area of 442.9 sq kms. Comparatively, Mumbai has a total area of 603.4 square kilometres.
Population: Curacao has a population of just 156,000 people, less than half the population of Iceland (350,000), who held the record for being the smallest nation to qualify for the FIFA World Cup until Wednesday.
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