Curacao and Suriname are on the verge of qualifying for their first-ever FIFA World Cup as they top their final CONCACAF qualifying groups.
According to a report from France 24, Curacao and Suriname are edging closer to a historic first appearance in the FIFA World Cup.
Curacao, with a population of just over 150,000, would become the smallest-ever country to reach the finals if they avoid defeat in their remaining match.
Meanwhile, Suriname is also in a favorable position, thanks to its goal difference standing in their group.
These two Caribbean nations stand to join other debutants — Cape Verde, Uzbekistan, and Jordan — at the 2026 tournament in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, the report says.
France 24 notes that both Curacao and Suriname have long dreamed of breaking into world football’s biggest stage, and now have concrete paths to do so.
The achievement would carry symbolic weight: Curacao’s rise under coach Dick Advocaat has drawn attention, while Suriname has leveraged a strong squad bolstered by players of Dutch origin, a strategy that has paid dividends in qualifying.
With only one match left, both teams know exactly what is required to turn aspiration into reality — and they are tantalizingly close.
If they succeed, their qualification would rewrite World Cup history by bringing two of the smallest nations ever into the global spotlight, the France 24 report concludes.