Curaçao is preparing for its first appearance at the FIFA World Cup as one of the most remarkable stories of the tournament, becoming the smallest country by population ever to qualify for football’s biggest stage. With around 156,000 inhabitants, the Caribbean nation has surpassed Iceland’s previous record from 2018 and has already attracted major international attention before playing its first match.
The national team, also known as the “Blue Wave”, will compete in Group E alongside Germany, Ecuador and Ivory Coast. Its World Cup debut is historic not only because of the country’s size, but also because of the extremely limited pool of footballers available for selection. According to the reports, only 135 players currently meet the eligibility criteria to represent Curaçao: 94 with primary Curaçao citizenship and 41 with roots on the island.
The squad’s composition also underlines the unusual scale of the achievement. Among the 94 players with Curaçao citizenship, only 27 play in top divisions, while 25 are in second divisions and 42 are active in third-tier, amateur or youth-level competitions. None of the eligible players is currently part of one of Europe’s top five leagues. In the final 26-man World Cup squad, 15 players compete in first divisions in their respective countries, while 11 play in second-tier football.
Most of the selected players are connected to European football, especially the Netherlands. The squad also includes players from championships in Israel, Switzerland, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and other countries. Only one player in the 26-man squad was born on the island: Tahith Chong, who plays for Sheffield United in England. He moved to the Netherlands with his family as a child and later continued his development in Feyenoord’s youth academy. The remaining 25 players on coach Dick Advocaat’s list were born in Europe.
Advocaat is also part of the historical narrative. At 78, he is set to become the oldest head coach in World Cup history, adding another unique element to Curaçao’s debut campaign. His leadership has helped turn a small Caribbean football nation into one of the most talked-about teams before the tournament.
Curaçao has also become a global hit beyond the pitch. After qualifying for the World Cup for the first time, the team quickly gained popularity on social media and among football fans around the world. That attention has already translated into commercial success, with all produced national team shirts sold out.
The away shirt attracted particular interest. The pastel yellow jersey, produced by Adidas, features orange, pink and turquoise details on the shoulders. Its design is presented as a cultural tribute to the colourful buildings along the waterfront in Willemstad. The shirt has also been compared to vintage World Cup designs from the 1980s, which further increased its appeal among collectors and football supporters.
The team has also won sympathy for its modest and unusual arrival style. While many national teams travel with private planes and luxury buses, Curaçao attracted attention by using a vehicle that looked like an old American-style school bus to travel to its training base. The image strengthened the team’s underdog identity and added to its growing popularity.
