1:00 PMFS1
NRG StadiumHouston
GROUP E| # | Team | MP | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Germany | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | Ecuador | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | Ivory Coast | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | Curaçao | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Curaçao is making their first-ever World Cup appearance, becoming the smallest nation (population ~150,000) to ever qualify for the tournament. They are a constituent country of the Netherlands.
Many Curaçao players were born and raised in the Netherlands and chose to represent their Caribbean heritage. This dual-identity model has transformed a tiny island into a competitive international team.
Curaçao rose from 196th in the FIFA rankings in 2011 to qualifying for the World Cup in 2026. Their journey is arguably the greatest underdog story in the history of World Cup qualifying.