Live: Minnows Curaçao make their World Cup debut against four-time winners Germany

Four-time FIFA World Cup winners Germany gets its campaign underway against debutant minnows Curaçao in Houston.

Later, Netherlands and Japan meet in a clash of continental heavyweights in Dallas before Côte d'Ivoire take on Ecuador in Philadelphia.

Last up, Sweden and Tunisia take centre stage in the picture-perfect Estadio Monterrey.

Check out the full World Cup schedule here in Australian times

ABC Sport Daily podcast: Check out the latest episode

Follow all the action in our live blog.

Pinned

Mon 15 Jun 2026 at 2:59am

Mon 15 Jun 2026 at 2:59am

Live updates: Germany vs Curaçao

Collapse all posts

Filter Posts

All

19

Key Events

2

Germany vs Curacao

18

Goals

1

Mon 15 Jun 2026 at 3:17am

Mon 15 Jun 2026 at 3:17am

14' Chance Germany!

By Simon Smale

Florian Wirtz this time, from the left side, cuts inside onto his right foot and powers a shot just past the far post from the left corner of the penalty area.

We're quarter of an hour in and Germany could be four or five goals up already.

Curaçao simply hasn't had a sniff - Germany hasn't given them one - they're holding the minnows at arms length and pinching their nose, so dominant are the four-time champions.

To be honest, it's almost bullying.

Mon 15 Jun 2026 at 3:15am

Mon 15 Jun 2026 at 3:15am

12' Chance Germany!

By Simon Smale

Nmecha again!

A frankly exquisite clipped ball forward from Aleksandar Pavlović, taken down like a dream by Nmecha.

He slips as he is swamped by a flurry of blue shirted defenders but still gets a shot away that is well saved.

Mon 15 Jun 2026 at 3:14am

Mon 15 Jun 2026 at 3:14am

11' Chance Germany!

By Simon Smale

Leroy Sané now, he pops up on the edge of the penalty area and fires towards goal.

That took a big deflection behind but it's been given as a goal kick.

Germany don't seem too bothered though.

Mon 15 Jun 2026 at 3:11am

Mon 15 Jun 2026 at 3:11am

9' CHANCE GERMANY!

By Simon Smale

Nmecha again!

This time he pops up on the right side of the penalty area and smashes a shot towards goal that fizzes just wide of the post.

My goodness he has absolutely belted that.

Mon 15 Jun 2026 at 3:10am

Mon 15 Jun 2026 at 3:10am

7' Germany almost has another

By Simon Smale

Jamal Musiala has a chance on the edge of the penalty area, blocked on the edge of the box but another chance for Germany, who will not back off for a second here.

Key Event

Mon 15 Jun 2026 at 3:09am

Mon 15 Jun 2026 at 3:09am

6' GERMANY OPENS THE SCORING!

By Simon Smale

Nathaniel Brown played a lovely ball forward to Felix Nmecha, whose fearsome shot is blocked.

But Germany recycles and Nmecha has another chance, linking up so nicely with Florian Wirtz on the edge of the penalty area before curling a delightful shot into the far corner.

Lovely strike, passive defending from Curaçao.

Mon 15 Jun 2026 at 3:05am

Mon 15 Jun 2026 at 3:05am

3' Chance Germany

By Simon Smale

Germany has a chance in the penalty area, moving the ball around nicely with Nathaniel Brown but can't get a shot away.

Curaçao looks to break on the counter but Aleksandar Pavlović gives away a free kick with a solid shove.

Mon 15 Jun 2026 at 3:03am

Mon 15 Jun 2026 at 3:03am

1' We're underway

By Simon Smale

Curaçao gets us underway, blue shirts, yellow shorts and blue socks, under pressure immediately from Germany in their frankly gorgeous kit, mostly white with the gold, red and black trim at the top.

With so many of the Curaçao team growing up and still playing in the Dutch system, there will be feeling in this one - Germany and the Netherlands are traditionally heated rivals.

Mon 15 Jun 2026 at 3:00am

Mon 15 Jun 2026 at 3:00am

The Aussie connection

By Simon Smale

That's nice, Australian referee Shaun Evans is in the VAR booth today.

That makes him the first Aussie that I've personally seen working at this tournament from an officiating point of view.

Mon 15 Jun 2026 at 2:59am

Mon 15 Jun 2026 at 2:59am

Here come the teams!

By Simon Smale

Curaçao and Germany walk out onto the field.

Both teams are in white tracksuit tops, Germany's appearing to have the same texture as a mackintosh. Which is a vibe, I guess.

The Germany fans in attendance roar the Deutschlandlied under the Houston roof.

And now it's time for theHimno di Kòrsou, which appears to be being played by a saxophone (or at least a recording of one) which absolutely has to be a first for me.

The final line of the first verse of the anthem is wonderful and really highlights just how small the nation is:

Let's raise our voice and sing,

the grandeur of Curaçao;

Curaçao, small island,

a boulder in the sea!

They might only be a boulder in the sea, but you bet they're going to do their darndest to put a hole in Germany's boat.

Mon 15 Jun 2026 at 2:51am

Mon 15 Jun 2026 at 2:51am

Just how big is Curaçao? and other fun facts

By Simon Smale

Let's dive into how big Curaçao even is, shall we?

Curaçao has a population of approximately 158,000.

That makes it approximately the same size as Greater Darwin in terms of population.

All but one of their players were actually born in the Netherlands, the sole player born in Curaçao being Sheffield United's Tahith Chong.

Incredibly, that means Curaçao, which is an island in the Caribbean,  has as many players in its squad (25 of the 26) as Germany does.

Germany centre back Waldemar Anton was born in Olmaliq, Uzbekistan, which is in Asia.

Why is this the case? Curaçao is not technically an independent country, but a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Mon 15 Jun 2026 at 2:49am

Mon 15 Jun 2026 at 2:49am

The Blue Wave has crashed into Houston

By Simon Smale

Mon 15 Jun 2026 at 2:46am

Mon 15 Jun 2026 at 2:46am

Advocaat will become the oldest coach in World Cup history

By Simon Smale

Dick Advocaat started his coaching career while he was still a player, taking charge of Door Samenwerking Verkregen Pijnacker in 1981.

Now, aged 78, he will become the oldest coach in World Cup history.

Curaçao is the eighth country Advocaat has coached after the Netherlands, the United Arab Emirates, South Korea, Belgium, Russia, Serbia and Iraq.

He was coach of the Netherlands the last time the World Cup was held in the USA in 1994.

Advocaat is technically in his second spell as Curaçao coach.

He briefly resigned at the start of the year, having already led the tiny Caribbean nation to its first ever World Cup.

He left because his daughter was seriously ill and he wanted, quite rightly, to spend more time with her.

However, his successor Fred Rutten was not well received by the players and, reportedly, the nation's chief sponsor, Corendon Dutch Airlines, were not impressed either.

With his daughter's illness improving, Advocaat was convinced to return.

Amazingly, Advocaat is the third person to become the oldest World Cup coach in the space of days at this tournament.

First, South Africa boss Hugo Broos set the new record in the tournament's opening game aged 74.

He broke the record of Euro-winning Greece manager Otto Rehhagel, who was 71 when he coached in 2010.

Hours later, Miroslav Koubek, the Czechia coach who is also 74 but days older than Broos, took over as the record holder.

But now Advocaat stands alone.

As an aside, his opposite coach today, Julian Nagelsmann, aged 38, is the youngest coach at this tournament.

Mon 15 Jun 2026 at 2:41am

Mon 15 Jun 2026 at 2:41am

Curaçao have 'nothing to lose'

By Simon Smale

- Reuters

Tiny Curaçao have nothing to lose as they make their World Cup debut against Germany in Houston on Sunday, says coach Dick Advocaat, who has a plan to be disrupters at the finals.

Curaçao, who rely heavily on their diaspora in the Netherlands for players, are the smallest nation by both population and size to qualify for a World Cup but have big dreams and will not bow to any opponent.

“We are a small country compared to Germany, but we will make life difficult for them and be a tough team to play,” Advocaat told reporters on Saturday.

“It sometimes happens that small teams, amateur teams, beat much bigger sides. In the Netherlands, this happens regularly.

“Germany will be the dominant team and we have to respond to that. We are going to use the space that Germany will create [when they attack] and benefit from it.”

“We have nothing to lose. The expectation is not that high outside of us as a squad, because we think we can surprise people. Just being here is great for the players and the country, but we also have to show people what we are made of.”

Advocaat hailed the atmosphere within the squad as one of the best in his long coaching career, which includes World Cup appearances with South Korea and the Netherlands.

“The team spirit here is something I have never experienced before,” he said. “We have everything to gain for the island and it is amazing to be a part of this. When you see what the team has achieved, it makes you proud as a coach.”

Advocaat confirmed he has a clean bill of health in the squad ahead of the game.

"All are fit and can play and everybody looks fresh,” he said.

Mon 15 Jun 2026 at 2:37am

Mon 15 Jun 2026 at 2:37am

Neuer return could upset Germany?

By Simon Smale

Let's talk about Manuel Neuer for a moment or two.

The 40-year-old stopper is going to play in his fifth World Cup when he takes the field shortly.

Neuer had actually retired though, taking his final bow at Euro 2024 in Germany.

But he has been good this year for Bundesliga champion Bayern.

And when Marc-André ter Stegen tore his hamstring in January for Barcelona, Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann opted to offer the elder statesman of German football a lifeline.

Is that tough on Hoffenheim keeper and incumbent Oliver Baumann? Well, yeah.

Baumann had started the two warm up matches and was probably expecting the be the leader of the defence in the opening game.

He wasn't exactly thrilled with the idea of being deputy either.

"It was tough at first; I didn't feel entirely comfortable with it," Baumann said last week.

"The situation is what it is. We have a few weeks ahead of us and we want to do everything we can to ensure success."

Is that going to upset the balance of the squad? Or will Germany be buoyed by the return of a player who is a legendary figure in the sport there?

Time will tell...

Mon 15 Jun 2026 at 2:27am

Mon 15 Jun 2026 at 2:27am

Germany will not underestimate Curaçao, rates Neuer as vital

By Simon Smale

- Reuters

Germany will not underestimate a physical and technical Curaçao team in their World Cup opener, coach Julian Nagelsmann said.

But Nagelsmann noted that Die Mannschaft's success in the tournament would rest heavily on 40-year-old goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.

Nagelsmann said Neuer has found his rhythm in time for the four-time champions.

"We trust him a lot," Nagelsmann told a news conference.

"In order to have a good World Cup we need Manuel in top performance and we think he can do that.

"He didn't have the rhythm but now he has found the rhythm."

The Germans go into the tournament aiming to restore their dented international reputation after shock first-round exits in 2018 and 2022.

Nagelsmann shrugged off questions of why Germany were not considered among the top favourites this time around, saying that was something that could be answered after the tournament.

"When we take a look at the last two World Cups we didn’t perform in a good way so we won’t be mentioned as a favourite for this tournament," he said.

"It is our job to do a perfect World Cup now and then we will be a favourite for the next World Cup."

Key Event

Mon 15 Jun 2026 at 2:23am

Mon 15 Jun 2026 at 2:23am

Team news: Germany vs Curaçao

By Simon Smale

Here's how the two teams line up today.

Germany

Manuel Neuer, the only member of Germany's 2014 World Cup-winning team in the squad, will make his first appearance two years after his international retirement and less than a month since his surprise recall to the team, taking the place of number one elect Oliver Baumann.

Jamal Musiala also starts despite questionable form, while Deniz Undav, the Budesliga's second-top goal scorer, is on the bench.

Curaçao

The Blue Wave have named experienced Curaçao-born Tahith Chong in their starting line up.

Mon 15 Jun 2026 at 2:09am

Mon 15 Jun 2026 at 2:09am

Welcome to day four!

By Simon Smale

Hello everyone and welcome to the ABC Sport live coverage of the FIFA World Cup 2026.

My name is Simon Smale and it is my pleasure to be up with you all at this treacherous time on a Monday morning for the first of four games we have on our bingo card today.

Here is our schedule:

3:00am AEST (2:20am ACST, 1:00am AWST) — Group E: Germany vs Curaçao @ Houston Stadium

6:00am AEST (5:30am ACST, 4:00am AWST) — Group F: Netherlands vs Japan @ Dallas Stadium

9:00am AEST (8:30am ACST, 7:00am AWST) — Group E: Côte d'Ivoire vs Ecuador @ Philadelphia Stadium

12:00pm AEST (11:30am ACST, 10:00am AWST) — Group F: Sweden vs Tunisia @ Monterrey Stadium

Remember, if you want the full schedule, check here.

Email address