We’re only five months away now, and the World Cup 2026 is set to showcase the biggest and best football nations on the planet, with the holders Argentina facing off against the likes of Brazil, France, Spain, and Germany.
But then, in the greatest show on earth, the big guns will meet some lesser-known football countries, and Germany will play the smallest in the history of the tournament when they open their account against the tiny Curacao, who have qualified for the finals for the first time, alongside Cape Verde, Jordan, and Uzbekistan.
As well as hitting the World Cup 2026 news headlines, this was a historic moment for the tiny island in the Caribbean Sea, with a population of just over 150,000, half the number in Iceland, which claimed that record when they qualified for the 2018 World Cup. Managed by former Netherlands boss Dick Advocaat, Curacao have rocketed up the FIFA World Rankings list over the past decade, from 150th to a current rating of 81.
If, as expected, Advocaat leads Curacao to the finals in Canada, Mexico, and the USA, he will become the oldest ever World Cup manager at 78, and he brings a wealth of experience to the minnows. In a career spanning 46 years, Advocaat has won the UEFA Cup, the Eredivisie in the Netherlands, the Russian Premier League, and the Scottish Premier League, and this is arguably his biggest achievement to date.
Bye bye Reggae Boyz
In a dramatic last game of CONCACAF qualifying, the Blue Wave went to Jamaica needing to avoid defeat to advance to the World Cup finals, and they did it just to consign the Reggae Boyz to the lottery of the inter-confederation play-offs.
Seven wins and three draws were enough to take Curacao to the finals, taking one of CONCACAF’s three automatic berths, and they signalled their intentions by winning their Round Two League with a perfect record of four wins from four.
The final round was not so comfortable for the Blue Wave, though, and it went right down to the wire. Three wins and three draws from their final six games in a packed schedule between September and December saw them top Final Group B, edging out Jamaica, whom they beat 2-0 at home before playing out a dramatic goalless draw away in the final game.
The Reggae Boyz, managed by former England head coach Steve McLaren, were in the tie right until the last minute as the CONCACAF qualifiers reached a dramatic climax.
Curacao went into the last match as underdogs, and midfield ace Juninho Bacuna summed up the mood of the players and fans, saying: “It’s crazy and would be one of the biggest things that will happen to Curacao.” The former Huddersfield Town star continued, “It’s incredible and amazing. Even a few years ago, you would not even think about it. To be personally part of it and to make the dream come true would be incredible.”
Well, the Blue Wave made it, but their fingernails were shredded by the final whistle after an explosive end to the match. Four minutes into the five added on with the score at 0-0, the hosts were throwing the kitchen sink at it. And when Curacao substitute Jeremy Antonisse challenged Isaac Hayden, the Jamaican forward fell to the ground and referee Ivan Barton pointed to the penalty spot.
Now this SBOTOP writer is not a fan of VAR, and I’ll argue the case for scrapping it in the Premier League (until it works better) if you like. But I celebrated along with the fans of Curacao when Mr. Barton went to look at the VAR screen after an agonising delay, he reversed his decision to a chorus of boos from the Jamaica fans as the Blue Wave fans went wild.
When the final whistle blew moments later, there was chaos in the Curacao dugout, and the players, coaches, and delirious fans celebrated long into the night.
Jamaica needed the win to qualify for a first World Cup finals since 1998, and manager McLaren resigned immediately after the game as the play-offs beckoned.
Curacao, 37 miles off the coast of Venezuela, only became an independent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands in 2010, and this is the nation’s proudest moment since.
So they are on their way to Canada, Mexico, and the USA and will play Scotland in a friendly before the action begins. When they take their bow at the World Cup, Curacao will meet four-time World Champions Germany, as well as the Ivory Coast and Ecuador.
The World Cup 2026 betting odds say the Blue Wave will need a miracle to escape their group. But miracles do happen, and the army of fans from this tiny island will be in North America for a party, whatever the outcome.
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