Curaçao's Historic Upset Secures World Cup Spot as Haiti Clinches Return
In a stunning conclusion to the Concacaf qualifying campaign, Curaçao – the smallest nation ever to qualify for the World Cup – booked their place alongside Haiti and Panama in next year's tournament. The Caribbean islander secured a 0-0 draw against Jamaica in Kingston, which sent shockwaves throughout the football world.
Curaçao's achievement is all the more remarkable given their population of just 156,000 people. The team, led by veteran Dutch coach Dick Advocaat, finished top of Group B with 12 points from six games, one point clear of Jamaica. Their historic result marked a fairy-tale finish to the qualifying campaign, as they became the smallest nation ever to qualify for the World Cup.
Haiti, meanwhile, completed an improbable qualification campaign with a 2-0 win over Nicaragua. The team's return to the World Cup is a testament to their resilience and determination. They will now advance to next year's tournament alongside Curaçao and Panama.
The draw between Jamaica and Curaçao sparked a frenzy of activity at the National Stadium in Kingston, with the Jamaican team launching a furious onslaught as they chased the win that would have guaranteed them a World Cup place. However, their hopes were dashed when the Salvadoran referee Iván Barton pointed to the spot for a penalty after Jamaica's Jeremy Antonisse brought down Dujuan Richards in the area. The decision was reviewed by the video assistant referee and then overturned, leaving Curaçao on course for the World Cup.
For Panama, grabbing the other automatic qualification spot with a 3-0 win over El Salvador marked the culmination of an impressive qualifying campaign. They will now join Curaçao and Haiti in next year's tournament.
Curaçao's historic result has sent shockwaves throughout the football world, as they become the smallest nation ever to qualify for the World Cup. Their fairy-tale finish is a testament to their determination and resilience, and will surely inspire a new generation of players from the Caribbean island.
In a stunning conclusion to the Concacaf qualifying campaign, Curaçao – the smallest nation ever to qualify for the World Cup – booked their place alongside Haiti and Panama in next year's tournament. The Caribbean islander secured a 0-0 draw against Jamaica in Kingston, which sent shockwaves throughout the football world.
Curaçao's achievement is all the more remarkable given their population of just 156,000 people. The team, led by veteran Dutch coach Dick Advocaat, finished top of Group B with 12 points from six games, one point clear of Jamaica. Their historic result marked a fairy-tale finish to the qualifying campaign, as they became the smallest nation ever to qualify for the World Cup.
Haiti, meanwhile, completed an improbable qualification campaign with a 2-0 win over Nicaragua. The team's return to the World Cup is a testament to their resilience and determination. They will now advance to next year's tournament alongside Curaçao and Panama.
The draw between Jamaica and Curaçao sparked a frenzy of activity at the National Stadium in Kingston, with the Jamaican team launching a furious onslaught as they chased the win that would have guaranteed them a World Cup place. However, their hopes were dashed when the Salvadoran referee Iván Barton pointed to the spot for a penalty after Jamaica's Jeremy Antonisse brought down Dujuan Richards in the area. The decision was reviewed by the video assistant referee and then overturned, leaving Curaçao on course for the World Cup.
For Panama, grabbing the other automatic qualification spot with a 3-0 win over El Salvador marked the culmination of an impressive qualifying campaign. They will now join Curaçao and Haiti in next year's tournament.
Curaçao's historic result has sent shockwaves throughout the football world, as they become the smallest nation ever to qualify for the World Cup. Their fairy-tale finish is a testament to their determination and resilience, and will surely inspire a new generation of players from the Caribbean island.
Curaçao's historic win is everything 
I'm literally jumping up and down in my seat 
! A country with only 156k people made it to the World Cup? That's insane 
! They must be so proud of their team 
Dick Advocaat, you're a genius coach 
! Haiti's return is also super exciting 
they never gave up hope 
. I'm loving this World Cup qualifying campaign so far 
! Can't wait to see these teams compete on the big stage 
i mean 156k ppl is tiny but they made it happen 
i think this could b a game changer 4 football in the caribbean
I mean, can you believe it?! Curaçao's win over Jamaica was like something out of a dream! They're literally the smallest nation to ever make it to the World Cup, and that's just incredible 
I'm hyped for them, they totally deserve it. It's not every day you see an underdog team come from nowhere and achieve this kind of thing. Haiti's return is pretty amazing too, their journey back to the World Cup has been full of ups and downs but they showed a lot of heart.
can't wait to see these teams take on the big boys in the World Cup next year! 
️
. And to think, it was all decided by a ref in Salvador 
. That spot decision did change everything. But seriously, congrats to Curaçao and Haiti! This is an amazing achievement for football in the Caribbean. Now we can't wait to see them take on some of the bigger teams at the World Cup 
. And wow, Haiti's come back strong after being knocked off the World Cup stage before 
!