Curaçao Makes Historic World Cup Debut Against Germany as Smallest Nation Ever to Qualify

ESPN · 6h ago

Curaçao, a Caribbean island of roughly 150,000 people, becomes the smallest nation by population ever to play at a World Cup when it faces Germany in Houston on June 14. It marks the first Concacaf debut at the tournament since Panama in 2018, and the team hopes to follow Costa Rica's 1990 run as the only Concacaf newcomer to escape the group stage. Germany, ranked 10th in the world and competing in their 21st World Cup, enter as heavy favorites in Group E.