By NAN SPORTS EDITOR
News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Weds. Nov. 19, 2025: Caribbean football delivered one of its most dramatic nights ever last night, as tiny Curaçao pulled off a historic 0-0 draw in Kingston to end Jamaica’s 2025 World Cup hopes, while Haiti produced a stunning 2-0 victory to return to the global stage for the first time in 52 years.
In a tense finale to CONCACAF qualifying, Curaçao – with a population of just 156,000 – became the smallest nation in history to qualify for a FIFA World Cup. The Blue Wave held on through relentless Jamaican pressure inside the National Stadium, surviving three shots off the woodwork and a stoppage-time penalty scare to finish atop Group B.
(Photo by RICARDO MAKYN/AFP via Getty Images)
Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz entered the match needing a win to secure their first World Cup appearance since France 1998. Instead, they were left heartbroken and forced into the intercontinental playoff route as Curaçao’s players collapsed in tears of joy at the final whistle.
The outcome immediately triggered the resignation of Jamaica’s coach, Steve McClaren, who announced he was stepping down despite the Boyz still having a playoff lifeline.
Curaçao’s achievement is extraordinary. Missing veteran Dutch coach Dick Advocaat – absent due to a family emergency – the squad fought tooth and nail against wave after wave of Jamaican attacks. Their resilience paid off when a late penalty awarded to the Reggae Boyz for a foul on Dujuan Richards was overturned after VAR review, sealing their place in next year’s World Cup hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Curaçao is now the smallest country ever to reach the World Cup, surpassing Iceland’s record set in 2018.
But the night belonged to more than one Caribbean nation.
Across the region, Haiti completed their own fairytale with a 2-0 win over Nicaragua – qualifying for the World Cup for the first time since 1974. Goals from Louicius Don Deedson and Ruben Providence secured top spot in Group C with 11 points, edging Honduras and Suriname in a tight race.
Remarkably, Haiti clinched qualification on Curaçaoan soil, as they have been forced to play their home matches away from Port-au-Prince due to severe instability and gang violence. The emotional weight of the moment was not lost on Haitian fans and players, many of whom have endured years of displacement and national turmoil.
Elsewhere, Panama clinched the final automatic spot with a commanding 3-0 win over El Salvador, ending Suriname’s slim hopes of direct qualification. Suriname, however, squeezed into the intercontinental playoff berth on goal difference, keeping their World Cup dreams alive.
The Caribbean now celebrates one of its most historic qualifying cycles ever:
• Curaçao — World Cup debut
• Haiti — first appearance in 52 years
• Jamaica — into the playoffs
• Suriname — into the playoffs
• Panama — second qualification in three tournaments
For Jamaica, the night will be remembered with pain — three agonizing shots off the post, a disallowed penalty, and a World Cup spot slipping away in front of a desperate home crowd.
For Curaçao and Haiti, it will be remembered as the night Caribbean football made history.
How Curaçao Became the Smallest Nation Ever to Reach the World Cup
• Population: 156,000 — now the smallest to ever qualify
• Coaching: Led by Dutch veteran Dick Advocaat, though he missed the decisive match
• Identity: Known as “The Blue Wave,” built on players from the Dutch leagues, diaspora talent, and tactical discipline
• Road to Qualification: Finished top of Group B with 12 points from six matches
• Historic Moment: Survived a late Jamaica onslaught and a VAR-overturned penalty to clinch qualification
• Record Broken: Surpassed Iceland (pop. ~350,000) as the smallest nation to ever reach the FIFA World Cup
Curaçao’s achievement marks a new chapter in Caribbean football — proving small nations can make global waves.
