Country profile
Curaçao
Curaçao
Key facts
Capital
Willemstad
Population
152,000
Confederation
CONCACAF
FIFA code
CUW
Overview
Curaçao is a sun-baked Dutch Caribbean island off the coast of Venezuela, famous for its candy-coloured Handelskade waterfront in Willemstad, turquoise coves and the blue liqueur that bears its name. Part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, it blends Dutch, African, Latin and Sephardic Jewish heritage into a vibrant Papiamentu-speaking culture.
Despite a population smaller than many football stadiums can hold across a weekend, the island has leveraged its constitutional ties to the Netherlands to build a national team stocked with professionally trained talent — a model that has made it CONCACAF's great overachiever.
Football culture
Football competes with baseball as the island's passion, and the rise of the national team has electrified a new generation. Matches at Stadion Ergilio Hato are joyous, drum-fuelled occasions, and qualification turned the whole island blue with pride.
World Cup history
Curaçao had never reached a World Cup before, having previously fallen short in CONCACAF qualifying including the 2022 cycle. Their 2026 appearance is a landmark debut and arguably the most improbable in tournament history given the nation's size.
Location
Did you know
- Curaçao would be the least populous nation ever to play at a World Cup.
- The famous blue Curaçao liqueur is made from the dried peel of the island's bitter laraha orange.
- Papiamentu, a Creole language, is spoken alongside Dutch, English and Spanish.
- Many stars were born and raised in the Netherlands before pledging to the island.
- Willemstad's historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
From Wikipedia
Curaçao, officially the Country of Curaçao, is a constituent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is an island country located in the southern Caribbean Sea, specifically the Dutch Caribbean region, about 65 km (40 mi) north of Venezuela and 80 km (50 mi) southeast of Aruba. Curaçao includes the main island of Curaçao,…
Source: Wikipedia →