Curaçao and Suriname Near Securing World Cup Qualification

Curaçao and Suriname stand on the brink of earning spots in the 2026 World Cup as additional underdogs in football get opportunities to enter the expanded 48-team competition.

These Caribbean countries would team up with debut entrants Cape Verde, Uzbekistan, and Jordan at the event hosted across the United States, Mexico, and Canada, where they would compete against powerhouses like five-time champions Brazil and two-time winners France.

Curaçao dominated Bermuda with a 7-0 victory last week, taking the lead in their CONCACAF qualifying group by one point, positioning the tiny island nation off Venezuelas northern shore to secure their place with at least a draw against Jamaica in Kingston on Tuesday.

Their buildup faced a setback when experienced Dutch manager Dick Advocaat departed the squad to attend to family matters back home.

Curaçao, an autonomous region of the Netherlands home to slightly more than 150,000 residents, would become the smallest nation by population to ever reach the World Cup.

Suriname tops their group via better goal difference and could lock in a landmark qualification by winning in Guatemala City, as long as Panama fails to beat the already out El Salvador.

Should both teams prevail, Suriname would need to end the evening with a stronger goal difference to claim the crucial top spot in their group.

Cape Verde earned their ticket through African qualifiers last month, and FIFA swiftly shared footage of their ecstatic players charging into the stands to join celebrating supporters.

Skipper Ryan Mendes emphasised that their achievement stemmed from deliberate effort.

"We have competed in four African Cup of Nations events and came quite near to the 2014 World Cup," Mendes shared with AFP from Turkey, his club football base. 

"Progress has built up over time. Now, we can view this as the expected result."

Nevertheless, Mendes conveyed the thrill pulsing through the modest island chain near Senegal, population 525,000.

"The entire country is elated, from Cape Verde itself to communities abroad. Merely discussing it sends shivers down my spine," he added.

Expansion to 64 Teams?

In Europe, surprises among qualifiers remain limited so far, though heavyweights including four-time champions Italy and talented Sweden face playoffs to confirm their attendance.

All in all, FIFA chief Gianni Infantinos vision of broadening the World Cups reach to 48 teams is proving effective in globalising the game, even amid ongoing concerns that smaller nations might lead to uneven matches when the tournament begins in June.

Moreover, Infantino, who maintains firm control over international football, seems poised to consider expanding to 64 entrants for the 2030 edition.

Such a move would invite even more countries previously unable to imagine competing on footballs grandest platform.