When fans saw the draw for the World Cup 2026, many asked themselves the same
question: “Where exactly is Curaçao?”

And yet, its presence in the tournament is not merely a soccer surprise. It is the result of a long history of colonialism, migration, political changes, and a unique relationship with Europe.

Curaçao is a small island in the Caribbean, a few kilometers north of Venezuela. For centuries it was part of the Dutch colonial empire and today remains an autonomous country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Its flag flies separately, but the head of state is still the Dutch monarch.

The path to the current form of Curaçao was not the result of a war of independence, but of political negotiations. Until 2010, it was part of
Netherlands Antilles, an autonomous entity within the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
On October 10, 2010, the Netherlands Antilles were dissolved, and Curaçao acquired
the status of an autonomous country, modeled after Aruba. It did not become a fully independent
state, as it continues to belong to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, maintaining its own
government and parliament, while matters such as defense and foreign policy
remain under the responsibility of The Hague. This is a unique political system
that combines broad autonomy with institutional ties to the former mother country.

Its soccer history is also unusual. Until 2010, it did not even exist as
a separate national team. It was represented by the Netherlands Antilles. The dissolution of that
political entity also led to the creation of the current soccer
federation of Curaçao, which joined FIFA and CONCACAF.

The big change came when the federation began to capitalize on its ties with
Netherlands. Players born in Amsterdam, in Rotterdam or in The Hague, with
family roots on the island, were called up to wear the jersey of Curaçao national team. Thus
a national team that combined the talent of European academies
with the identity of the Caribbean.

The rise was no accident. In 2019, it won the Gold Cup Qualifying
Championship for the first time, while gradually becoming one of the most competitive teams in the region. The
absence of the United States, Mexico and Canada from the qualifiers
2026 qualifiers, the co-hosting arrangement opened a window of opportunity that Curaçao
took full advantage of.

With a population of approximately 150,000, it becomes the smallest country to have participated
in a World Cup! Behind the soccer success, however, lies a much
greater story: the journey of a former colony that has become
an independent voice in soccer on the international stage. For millions of viewers, Curaçao
was, until yesterday, an unknown dot on the map. The World Cup brought it into the spotlight
of the entire world.

More stories like this, in a 640-page large-format investigation,
can be found in the book “ Confidential World Cup ” published by
Historical Quest