Curacao World Cup 2026: Blue Wave the rank outsiders in Group E

Curacao are the smallest nation to ever qualify for the World Cup, with the island nation, population 150,000, set to make a splash on the world stage for the very first time. 

It’s a remarkable achievement for them just to be here, and below you can find my Curacao World Cup 2026 preview including a prediction on how they will fare in North America. 

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Goalkeepers: Tyrick Bodak (SC Telstar), Trevor Doornbusch (VVV-Venlo), Eloy Room (Miami FC).

Defenders: Riechedly Bazoer (Konyaspor), Joshua Brenet (Kayserispor), Roshon Van Eijma (RKC Waalwijk), Sherel Floranus (PEC Zwolle), Deveron Fonville (NEC Nijmegen), Jurien Gaari (Abha Club), Armando Obispo (PSV Eindhoven), Shurandy Sambo (Sparta Rotterdam).

Midfielders: Juninho Bacuna (FC Volendam), Leandro Bacuna (Igdır), Livano Comenencia (FC Zurich), Kevin Felida (FC Den Bosch), Ar'Jany Martha (Rotherham United), Tyrese Noslin (SC Telstar), Godfried Roemeratoe (RKC Waalwijk).

Forwards: Jeremy Antonisse (AE Kifisia), Tahith Chong (Sheffield United), Kenji Gorre (Maccabi Haifa), Sontje Hansen (Middlesbrough), Gervane Kastaneer (Terengganu FC), Brandley Kuwas (FC Volendam), Jurgen Locadia (Miami FC), Jearl Margaritha (SK Beveren).

Curacao can rely on plenty of Dutch-raised talent in their squad, with the Bacuna brothers in midfield still as reliable as ever. Sontje Hansen and Tahith Chong both have plenty of Championship experience while former Brighton forward Jurgen Locadia will be looking for a World Cup goal, although his red card vs Scotland may mean he is suspended for the opener. 

World Cup Odds

Curacao’s progression has been amazing, given they’ve only been a member of FIFA since 2011. CONCACAF qualifying opened up completely given the tournament is being hosted by three of the big boys in the form of Mexico, Canada and the USA and they automatically qualified.

That meant that the big boys were out of the way and three wins and three draws in their final group, which contained Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago and Bermuda. The 2-0 home win over Jamaica was huge, but the Blue Wave still needed to avoid defeat in Kingston on the final gameweek, and they ground out a 0-0 draw to make it to the World Cup finals. 

The celebrations on the Caribbean island were wild, and now they have been placed in a World Cup group alongside four-time winners Germany, Ecuador and Ivory Coast. That’s a really tricky group going into it and they are arguably the biggest minnows the World Cup has ever seen. 

Group E Fixtures:

14 June 12pm local (6pm BST) - vs Germany (Houston)

20 June 7pm local (21 June 1am BST) - vs Ecuador (Kansas City)

25 June 4pm local (9pm BST) - vs Ivory Coast (Philadelphia)

Key Player: Tahith Chong

Leandro Bacuna is the leader of this side and the beating heart of the midfield, but I have to name Chong as their key player. The former Manchester United youngster now finds himself at Sheffield United and although starts have been difficult to come by the course of the season, he is fresh heading into the World Cup. 

I’m picking him out because he’s only played five times for Curacao but he has now scored three goals during that time, having scored a wondergoal against Scotland at Hampden Park in a recent friendly. He ran on his own from the halfway line, dribbling round a couple of players before firing past Craig Gordon. 

He is going to carry Curacao’s main goal threat and although they are going to be defending for the majority of this group phase - a World Cup goal would be historic. 

Football Odds

Prediction: Bottom of the Group

Sorry. I love an underdog story as much as the next football fan, but this group is brutal for a side that has never competed at this level. Curacao are extremely likely to lose three games out of three and finish pointless, and it would take something so remarkable for anything else to happen. 

The odds rank them as the World Cup’s biggest outsiders, and rightly so. If they get a goal, and can avoid a hammering, they can take huge pride from their first major tournament.