CURAÇAO MAKES HISTORY: NATIONAL FOOTBALL TEAM QUALIFIES FOR THE WORLD CUP AFTER DRAW AGAINST JAMAICA AND BECOMES THE SMALLEST COUNTRY EVER TO QUALIFY

Willemstad, November 19, 2025 - Curaçao wrote a new chapter in its sporting history last night. After an impressive match against Jamaica, which ended in a draw, the national team has qualified for the FIFA World Cup for the very first time. The tournament will take place next year in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. It is a historic achievement that unites the island and sparks pride across the world. Curaçao is the smallest country ever to qualify for a World Cup.

A milestone for Curaçao

Qualifying for the World Cup is more than a sporting achievement; it’s a national moment of significance. It strengthens Curaçao’s international profile, brings communities on the island and across the diaspora together, and gives the fast-growing supporters’ movement around the team, lovingly known as “The Blue Wave”, a global stage. The Blue Wave represents pride, connection, and the unique energy of the island that unites Curaçaoans and diaspora communities wherever they live.

“This is more than football. This is pride, identity, and connection. Once again, Curaçao shows that a small island can make a big impact,” said Muryad de Bruin, Managing Director of the Curaçao Tourist Board.

Team background

The national team of Curaçao has undergone impressive developments in recent years. Under the leadership of head coach Dick Advocaat, together with assistants Cor Pot and Dean Gorré and the full technical staff, the team has taken major steps forward. The combination of international expertise and strong local football culture has made Curaçao structurally stronger and laid the foundation for this historic World Cup qualification.

With players coming from both the island and the diaspora in the Netherlands, the United States, and Latin America, including recent key players like Leandro Bacuna, Juninho Bacuna, Eloy Room, and Rangelo Janga, the team represents Curaçao’s open, diverse, and globally connected community.

The road to the World Cup

Getting to the World Cup was anything but easy. Through consistent performances in the Gold Cup, strong showings in the Nations League, and a series of solid qualification matches, Curaçao has steadily built a team capable of competing at international level.

The match against Jamaica was the final step in a journey that began almost ten years ago, when Curaçao started modernizing its football infrastructure and investing in long-term development.

An island that produces extraordinary athletic talent

This qualification highlights something the world has known for years: Curaçao has a unique athletic DNA. The island continues to produce top-level talent far beyond what its size might suggest.

Not only in football, but also in baseball, Curaçao has been a global force for decades. Legends such as Andruw Jones, Jurickson Profar, Ozzie Albies, Jonathan Schoop, and Kenley Jansen have become stars in Major League Baseball (MLB). Curaçao consistently sends players to the highest level of the sport and is internationally recognized as a powerhouse of athletic talent.

A new chapter begins

This milestone proves again that Curaçao’s talent, discipline, and sporting culture run deep. Sports connect families, neighborhoods, generations, and diaspora communities. The World Cup qualification is another example of what shared ambition can achieve.

With this qualification, Curaçao enters a unique moment where the island can shine culturally, athletically, and internationally. The coming months will be filled with preparation, collaboration, and the growth of a movement that every Curaçaoan, and everyone who carries the island in their heart, anywhere in the world, can be part of.

ABOUT CURAÇAO

Home to more than 35 captivating beaches, a diverse heritage spanning 55 different cultures, including Dutch, Spanish and Portuguese, a “love it or love it” attitude, and stunning European architecture, Curaçao – which sits on the outer fringes of the Hurricane Belt – remains an unrivaled tropical escape in the Southern Caribbean. Ranked by Condé Nast Traveler as one of the “best islands in the Caribbean,” Curaçao’s natural beauty, world-class dive sites, pristine beaches and idyllic weather have won it further accolades and recognition. Its capital city, Willemstad – a UNESCO World Heritage site – features the iconic and colorful Handelskade backdrop, vibrant street art, and a growing portfolio of boutiques, al fresco restaurants and trendy cafes, just to name a few of the many reasons why Curaçao continues to flourish as one of the most exceptional islands in the region.