Curacao, an island whose entire population can fit into the Narendra Modi Stadium and Eden Gardens with more than 20,000 seats to spare, became the smallest nation ever to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The Caribbean side remained unbeaten through the qualifying phase and secured their spot with a goalless draw in Jamaica.
The milestone came on a night of several historic breakthroughs. Haiti, a nation devastated by conflict, hunger and displacement, sealed their return to the World Cup after 52 years despite not playing a single match on home soil. Their players and coach Sebastien Migne conducted the entire campaign remotely, and home fixtures were held roughly 500 miles away in Curacao due to armed gangs controlling large parts of Port-au-Prince.
Uzbekistan and Jordan will also make their World Cup debuts after taking advantage of the expanded 48-team format.
Asia’s quota doubled from four to eight direct spots, opening doors for teams that repeatedly came close in previous cycles. Uzbekistan’s qualification comes after years of investment in youth football, with the country making deep runs in recent U-17, U-20 and Olympic tournaments.
The 2026 edition, to be co-hosted by the USA, Mexico and Canada, has doubled qualifying slots in several regions, producing storylines that the 32-team format seldom allowed. Four nations – Curacao, Uzbekistan, Jordan and Cape Verde – have already secured their first-ever appearance, and the number could rise when qualifiers conclude in March.
North and Central America have seen the biggest shift. With the three co-hosts gaining automatic entry, additional places opened up for smaller Caribbean teams. Haiti were among the biggest beneficiaries, relying heavily on diaspora players based in Europe for their unlikely campaign.
Oceania, which previously had no direct slot, has one guaranteed berth for the first time – claimed by New Zealand. New Caledonia, a French overseas territory recognized by FIFA only in 2004, now enters the intercontinental playoffs and could add another debutant to the list.
Europe, meanwhile, has 12 of its 16 spots filled, with the remaining four to be decided through playoffs in March. Former champions Italy, along with Denmark, Ukraine, Poland and 12 other teams, will compete for the last berths.
Major sides such as Nigeria, Cameroon, Chile, Greece and Serbia have already been eliminated, adding to a qualification cycle noted for its unpredictability.
The intercontinental playoffs will feature Bolivia, DR Congo, Iraq, Jamaica, Suriname and New Caledonia, while the European playoffs will determine the final four UEFA qualifiers through one-leg semifinals and finals.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will feature 48 teams for the first time, marking the biggest expansion in the tournament’s history. With qualification still ongoing, more first-time entrants remain possible, adding further interest to a qualifying campaign already defined by dramatic breakthroughs and unexpected stories. (With inputs from Indian Express and Aljazeera)