- Curacao have achieved the unthinkable, qualifying for the FIFA World Cup for the first time in their footballing history
- The Blue Wave have become one of the smallest nations ever to reach the global stage, marking a historic milestone ahead of the 2026 tournament
- YEN.com.gh takes a look at eight of the tinniest countries that have made it to football’s grandest stage
Excitement continues to rise as World Cup fever spreads worldwide ahead of the 2026 tournament in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
While qualification is still underway, history has already been made after one of the smallest nations in football secured its first-ever spot on the global stage.
Source: Getty Images
As always, teams from every corner of the world will unite with one shared ambition, and barring a major upset, the trophy will likely be lifted by one of football’s traditional heavyweights in New Jersey on July 11.
With that in mind, YEN.com.gh takes a closer look at the ten smallest nations ever to reach the World Cup. Using data from Transfermarkt, here are the most remarkable underdogs to etch their names into football history.
Smallest countries to qualify for World Cup
10. Uruguay (2.2 million)
Uruguay stands out as the most consistent qualifier on this list, and the smallest nation ever to lift the World Cup trophy.
The South American giants made history by winning the very first tournament in 1930, before reclaiming the title two decades later in 1950.
Despite boycotting the 1934 and 1938 editions, Uruguay’s football legacy remains unmatched for a country of its size, and their record as the smallest World Cup winner may never be broken.
9. Slovenia, 2002 (2 million)
A country with a population of 2 million at the time they managed to qualify two years after the turn of the milennium, Slovenia technically were part of the World Cup as part of Yugoslavia, but had to wait until 2002 to reach the finals as a standalone nation.
Despite boasting stars such as Jan Oblak and Manchester United’s Benjamin Sesko, it looks unlikely the European nation will end its 15-year absence from the World Cup.
After losing all three group stage fixtures in 2002, Slovenia were once again participants in South Africa in 2010. That year, they suffered a narrow 1-0 loss against England and haven’t qualified since.
8. United Arab Emirates (1.9 million)
The United Arab Emirates made their first and only World Cup appearance at Italia ’90, debuting before Asian powerhouses like Japan and South Korea.
Players were famously promised a Rolls-Royce for every goal scored, yet the incentive wasn’t enough; they lost all three group-stage matches against Colombia, West Germany, and Yugoslavia.
Despite their early exit, the UAE’s brief moment on football’s biggest stage remains a proud, if distant, memory.
7. Kuwait (1.7 million)
The 1982 World Cup in Spain marked Kuwait’s first and only appearance on football’s grandest stage, following the tournament’s expansion to 24 teams.
Drawn into a daunting group with England, France, and Czechoslovakia, Kuwait’s campaign is best remembered for one of the strangest moments in World Cup history, when Prince Fahad ran onto the pitch to protest a goal, convincing the referee to disallow France’s strike.
It remains Kuwait’s most iconic football memory, one unlikely to ever be topped.
6. Paraguay, 1950 (1.5 million)
Paraguay hold the distinction of being the smallest South American nation ever to qualify for the World Cup finals.
With fewer than one million inhabitants at the time of their debut in the inaugural 1930 tournament, the South American side made history early on.
After a 15-year absence from the global stage, Paraguay have now sealed their return, earning a spot at their 10th World Cup following a stellar qualifying campaign, their last appearance being in 2010, when they were knocked out by eventual champions Spain.
5. Northern Ireland (1.4 million)
The smallest of the British nations, Northern Ireland’s World Cup history is defined by grit and remarkable underdog stories.
Their 1982 run remains legendary, defeating hosts Spain and reaching the second round, but their greatest feat came earlier, in 1958, when they reached the quarter-finals despite a population of just 1.4 million.
Though the glory days of George Best and Danny Blanchflower are long gone, the Green and White Army came heartbreakingly close again in 2018, narrowly missing out after a playoff defeat to Switzerland.
4. Trinidad & Tobago (1.3 million)
Trinidad & Tobago’s 2006 World Cup debut remains one of football’s most uplifting stories.
Despite exiting at the group stage with just one point, the Soca Warriors captured hearts by holding a star-studded Sweden side, led by Zlatan Ibrahimović and Henrik Larsson, to a draw and making England and Paraguay fight for their victories.
For a nation of just 1.3 million, their spirited performance symbolised pride, resilience, and a dream fulfilled on the world stage.
3. Cape Verde (525,000)
Cape Verde, among the nine African teams, has written their name into football history as the second-smallest nation ever to qualify for a World Cup, clinching their place with an emphatic 3-0 victory over Eswatini.
The win triggered scenes of pure joy both on the pitch and across the islands, as the nation of just over half a million people celebrated an unimaginable achievement.
To put it in perspective, every single U.S. state has a larger population than Cape Verde and even Northern Ireland, considered one of football’s smaller nations, has nearly three times as many residents.
Source: Getty Images
2. Iceland (340,000)
It’s almost unimaginable to think of a nation smaller than Iceland making it to the World Cup, yet the Faroe Islands could soon rewrite that narrative if they manage the impossible and qualify for the 2026 edition.
Iceland’s remarkable rise captured global attention when they stunned England at Euro 2016, a moment that fueled their historic run to the 2018 World Cup, which they were eliminated in the group stage, per the BBC.
With a population of just over 300,000, the tiny Nordic nation proved that even the smallest countries can shine on football’s biggest stage.
1. Curacao, 2026 (185,500)
For years, it seemed almost impossible to imagine a nation with a smaller population than Iceland reaching the World Cup, yet Curaçao, whose head coach is Dutchman Advocaat, have defied the odds and done exactly that.
A tense goalless draw against Steve McClaren’s Jamaica on the final matchday sparked scenes of pure jubilation, as the island nation finished unbeaten at the top of Group B.
Source: Getty Images
It’s an extraordinary achievement for a country of roughly 185,000 people, fewer than the population of Cambridge, and one that will be remembered for generations.
Now, The Blue Wave must wait until early December to learn their group-stage opponents, but for the moment, Advocaat’s history-makers are simply savouring their remarkable triumph.
Trump issues 2 threats ahead of World Cup
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that President Donald Trump gave two big warnings that might put some host cities at risk just months before the 2026 World Cup starts.
His comments sparked new worries about security, hosting rights, and how smoothly the tournament will be prepared.
Source: YEN.com.gh
Source: Yen.com.gh
