Kingston, Nov 19 (V7N) — Curacao, a Caribbean island nation with a population of just 150,000, has made history by qualifying for the FIFA World Cup, becoming the smallest country ever to reach the tournament’s main stage.

The achievement surpasses the previous record held by Iceland, which qualified for the 2018 World Cup with a population of 398,266. Curacao, with an area of only 444 square kilometers, booked its ticket to the World Cup after a goalless draw against Jamaica at the National Stadium in Kingston.

In the second half, Jamaica relentlessly attacked, hitting the goalposts three times and even being awarded a penalty. However, VAR overturned the decision following protests from Curacao’s players.

With the United States, Canada, and Mexico already automatically qualified as hosts, three spots from the CONCACAF region were up for grabs. Haiti also secured a place in the World Cup for the first time in 52 years by defeating Nicaragua 2-0 in Group D, marking their first appearance since the 1974 tournament. Panama qualified for the second time in their history by beating El Salvador 3-0 in Group A.

Previously, Cape Verde, with a population of 525,000, held the record as the second smallest nation to qualify for the World Cup. Curacao’s remarkable achievement is being hailed as a landmark moment in football history.

END/SMA/AJ