Curaçao has entered football history after being recognised by Guinness World Records as the smallest country by population ever to qualify for the FIFA World Cup.
The Caribbean island nation, with a population of just 156,115 at the time of qualification, achieved the milestone during the 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign, surpassing Iceland’s previous record of around 350,000 people when it qualified for the 2018 tournament.
The recognition was formally presented on Tuesday in Houston, United States, where Guinness World Records handed an official certificate to Gilbert Martina, President of the Curaçao Football Federation.
According to Guinness World Records, Curaçao earned the distinction after securing its World Cup place on November 19, 2025, following a goalless draw against Jamaica in Kingston. That result confirmed their top finish in their CONCACAF third-round qualifying group, where they recorded three wins and three draws from six matches.
The team, nicknamed the “Blue Wave” and coached by Dutch manager Dick Advocaat, delivered a fairytale qualification campaign that stunned many observers given the country’s small population and limited player pool compared to larger footballing nations.
Despite their historic achievement, Curaçao’s World Cup journey has been challenging. They suffered a heavy 7–1 defeat in their opening match of the tournament on June 14, during the 2026 FIFA World Cup jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Still, their qualification remains a landmark moment in football history, highlighting one of the smallest nations ever to reach the sport’s biggest stage.