Only five Caribbean countries have ever reached the FIFA World Cup. Cuba was the first in 1938, followed by Haiti in 1974, Jamaica in 1998, and Trinidad and Tobago in 2006.
This year, two Caribbean flags will fly on football’s biggest stage. Haiti returns, becoming the only Caribbean nation to qualify twice. And Curaçao, a tiny island of just over 150,000 people, will make history as the smallest country ever to compete at a World Cup.
Just 37 miles off Venezuela’s coast, Curaçao covers only 171 square miles, which is smaller than many of Belize’s districts. Yet its football team fought through two gruelling qualification rounds, playing 10 matches, winning seven, and finishing unbeaten to secure their place on football’s biggest stage.
They now face some of the toughest opposition the tournament has to offer, grouped with former world champions Germany, South American side Ecuador, and African powerhouses Ivory Coast in Group E. All their group matches will be played in the United States.
Haiti, meanwhile, ended a 52‑year drought with its second World Cup appearance. On Saturday, they fell 1‑0 to Scotland in Group C at Boston Stadium in Massachusetts, USA. Their next test will be against five‑time champions Brazil on June 19.
