Related videos:
The Caribbean football witnessed a historic day this Tuesday: Curaçao and Haiti secured their qualification for the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico, and Canada by finishing as leaders of their groups in the Concacaf qualifiers.
Panama also secured its ticket after dominating its group, while Jamaica and Suriname will have to compete in the intercontinental playoffs as the two best runners-up in the region. Thus, the tournament now includes 42 of the 48 teams that will participate.
Curaçao breaks all the records
The 0-0 draw against Jamaica in Kingston made Curaçao the national team from the country with the smallest population to qualify for a World Cup: 150,000 inhabitants, far below the previous record held by Iceland (330,000 in Russia 2018), according to the newspaper Marca.
It is also the smallest country by land area to reach a World Cup.
Curacao also becomes the fifth Caribbean team to compete in a World Cup, following Cuba, Haiti, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago.
"We never stopped believing. We may be small in size, but we are enormous in spirit and heart," celebrated Gilbert Martina, president of the Curacao Football Federation, who highlighted that this achievement is the culmination of a "World Cup project that started in 2004," reported the aforementioned Spanish media outlet.
Haiti returns to the elite
Haiti, which had previously participated in the World Cup in 1974, ended decades of absence on the grand football stage thanks to a strong performance in its qualifying group.
For a country battered by political crises, violence, and natural disasters, the qualification represents a moment of national pride, while Panama completes the trio of qualifiers from CONCACAF. The canal team reaffirmed its sports progression and will be in its second World Cup, following Russia 2018.
Europe adds new selections
During the day, five European teams also secured their spot:
Spain, Belgium, Austria, Scotland, and Switzerland
They had already qualified: Germany, Croatia, France, England, Norway, the Netherlands, and Portugal.
The second-placed teams from each UEFA group, along with the four best from the Nations League, will compete in the European playoffs for four additional spots.
Here are the qualified selections (42/48)
Hosts: Canada, United States, Mexico.
Asia: Saudi Arabia, Australia, Qatar, South Korea, Iran, Japan, Jordan, Uzbekistan.
Africa: Algeria, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Egypt, Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia.
Conmebol: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Uruguay.
Concacaf: Panama, Curacao, Haiti.
Europe: England, France, Croatia, Portugal, Norway, Netherlands, Germany, Spain, Belgium, Austria, Scotland, Switzerland.
Oceania: New Zealand.
Intercontinental playoffs: who are fighting for the final spots
Six teams will compete in March for the last two tickets
Bolivia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Iraq, New Caledonia, Jamaica, Suriname.
Both the European and intercontinental playoffs will be drawn on Thursday.
Filed under: