Curaçao enters Guinness World Records as smallest nation at World Cup

Just days after its debut at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the Caribbean island nation of Curaçao has been officially recognised by Guinness World Records as the smallest country by population to ever qualify for football’s global premier tournament.

On Tuesday, Guinness World Records presented the official certificate to the President of the Curaçao Football Federation, Gilbert Martina, in Houston, USA.

With a population of just 156,115 at the time of qualification, Curaçao surpassed the previous record held by Iceland, which had approximately 350,000 during its 2018 qualification.

In a statement, the GWR said, “The smallest country (by population) to qualify for the football (soccer) FIFA World Cup is Curaçao, who had a population of 156,115 people when they qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Kingston, Jamaica, on 19 November 2025.

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“The small Caribbean island of Curaçao, managed by Dutchman Dick Advocaat, finished top of their CONCACAF third-round qualifying group with three wins and three draws from their six games.

“The ‘Blue Wave’ completed their football fairytale with a 0–0 draw against Jamaica on 19 November 2025, ensuring their place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.”

Curaçao played their first game, losing 7–1 on Sunday, June 14, at the 2026 World Cup co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Saheed Oyelakin

Saheed is a journalist at Punch Newspapers with over two years of experience covering metro, technology, sports, politics, and human-interest stories. He focuses on producing clear, engaging reports across diverse beats. Saheed’s work reflects hands-on newsroom experience and a commitment to accurate and balanced journalism.

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