Fifa World Cup 2026: What you need to know about Curacao

Get the lowdown on every team at the 2026 World Cup. Here we take a closer look at debutants Curacao.

What can I expect from Curacao?

With a population of just 156,000 and a land mass smaller than the Isle of Man, Curacao have surpassed Iceland as the smallest nation to reach a World Cup

Led by the vastly experienced Dick Advocaat, who at the age of 78 will become the oldest coach in World Cup history, Curacao triumphed in a CONCACAF qualifying stage where they bettered Dwight Yorke's Trinidad & Tobago and Steve McClaren's Jamaica among others.

They conceded just three goals in six games during the final round and Advocaat's tactics centre on a deep-lying defence, well-drilled organisation and attacking wide on the counter.

"It's something special for us to be there," said the former Rangers and Sunderland manager. "Playing against players you see on TV, who play in the top leagues. Anyone can surprise. Why not Curacao? That's what we'll try to do."

What are Curacao's strengths?

Known as the Blue Family, Curacao benefit from tight-knit team spirit and a popular coaching set-up.

When Advocaat was unavailable for the final qualifier against Jamaica due to family reasons, assistant coach Dean Gorre stepped in seamlessly to oversee the goalless draw in Kingston which clinched qualification.

On the pitch, Curacao are hard to break down and dangerous in transition.

And what about their weaknesses?

The largely Netherlands-based squad has some Eredivisie and Premier League experience but lacks for elite quality – a failing that could be exposed in their opening game against Germany.

As a result, they are likely to start with either a five-man midfield or back five to provide maximum protection.

How might Curacao line up?

Which players should I look out for?

Juninho Bacuna created an unrivalled 20 chances from open play during CONCACAF qualifying and he could start as Curacao's creative midfielder or as a false nine. He's played for Birmingham City, Huddersfield Town and Rangers.

Captain Leandro Bacuna, the older brother of Juninho, has the most elite experience of anyone in the Curacao squad, having made nearly 100 Premier League appearances for Cardiff City (11) and Aston Villa (85) between 2013 and 2019 (six goals, six assists).

Manchester United academy graduate Tahith Chong has scored three goals and assisted one in five caps so far ahead of the final warm-up friendly against Aruba. He is the only member of the 26-man squad to have been born in Curacao.

Who is Curacao's head coach?

Dick Advocaat led the Netherlands and South Korea at the World Cup in 1994 and 2006 respectively, while he's also managed Belgium, Rangers, PSV Eindhoven and Sunderland among 11 club sides and eight national teams across his career.

He initially joined Curacao in 2024 and oversaw their qualification to a first World Cup but then stepped down in February to care for his sick daughter.

Advocaat returned in May after two heavy friendly defeats under replacement Fred Rutten, following an improvement in his daughter's health.

How did Curacao qualify?

Curacao, then ranked 82nd in the world, became the smallest nation to reach the World Cup after drawing with Steve McClaren's Jamaica in November

Where can I watch Curacao?

All of Curacao's matches will also be covered live on the BBC Sport website and app with updates, analysis, and fan reaction. Come and be part of it!

Give me a fact to impress my friends

Captain Leandro Bacuna and brother Juninho could emulate the three sets of siblings who played together at Qatar 2022: Belgium's Eden and Thorgan Hazard, Serbia's Sergej and Vanja Milinkovic-Savic and Ghana's Jordan and Andre Ayew.

The Bacuna brothers were both relegated in the same Premier League season in 2018-19 with Cardiff City and Huddersfield Town respectively.

Now give me some proper detail

Perhaps the most important part of Curacao's historic qualification as the smallest nation to reach a World Cup finals arrived some six months after their passage had been secured.

Head coach Dick Advocaat had stepped down after leading Curacao to the World Cup to care for his sick daughter. But following the short, painful reign of replacement Fred Rutten during which Curacao conceded seven goals and scored just one in friendly defeats to Australia and China, Advocaat returned in May following improvements to his daughter's health.

For a nation nicknamed the Blue Family, the return of a doting father figure provides welcome reassurance for an island community planning to navigate unchartered waters.

The tiny Caribbean island exists as a self-governing entity within the Kingdom of the Netherlands and has a population of just 156,000, surpassing Iceland as the smallest nation to take part in this tournament.

Group-stage opponents Germany, Ecuador and the Ivory Coast have a collective population of more than 135 million.

Smaller than the Isle of Man, Curacao lies north of Venezuela, standing at 171 square miles.

Curacao joined Fifa in 2011 and played their first friendly that year. Qualification to the grandest stage of all has followed 15 years later.

The set-up can vary depending on the opposition, with 4-5-1 or 5-4-1 likely formations.

In their first game at this level Curacao face Germany, who have won the World Cup on four separate occasions.

How have Curacao done at previous World Cups?