New Delhi, Nov. 19 -- In a stunning achievement for world football, Curacao, a Caribbean nation of just 156,000 people, has become the smallest country by population ever to qualify directly for the FIFA World Cup after holding Jamaica to a dramatic 0-0 draw on Tuesday (November 18). The result sees Curacao surpass Iceland's long-standing record and secure their historic debut at the expanded 48-team tournament in 2026, alongside fellow CONCACAF qualifiers Panama and Haiti.

Curacao topped CONCACAF Group B with an unbeaten record, collecting 12 points from six matches. The result marked their first-ever World Cup appearance and shattered the previous record held by Iceland, whose population stood at around 350,000 when they qualified for ...