Tiny Nations in the 2026 World Cup: Curacao, Cape Verde and Their Place in History

Small Nations at the 2026 FIFA World Cup

The 2026 World Cup, hosted across North America, is the largest tournament ever, featuring 48 teams. This expansion allowed more countries to join, including some with very small populations compared to traditional football powerhouses. The increase made qualifying somewhat easier for many established teams, though surprises like Italy missing out in the UEFA playoffs still occurred.

South America's qualifying format changed too. Brazil finished fifth in CONMEBOL qualifiers—a position that used to risk elimination—but now the top six qualify directly. Bolivia, finishing seventh, had a chance in an inter-confederation playoff but lost to Iraq, who made their first appearance despite having nearly 48 million people. Other newcomers come from even smaller populations, making their World Cup debuts quite remarkable.

Smallest Nation Ever at the World Cup: Curacao

Iceland held the record as the smallest country to play at a World Cup when they qualified in 2018, with a population of about 350,000. They famously drew 1-1 against Argentina, thanks to a penalty save by Hannes Halldorsson and a goal from Alfred Finnbogason. Yet in 2026, Curacao took over this title with only 185,500 people. Located in the Caribbean near Venezuela, Curacao's team competes under CONCACAF and entered Group E with Germany, Ecuador, and Ivory Coast.

Cape Verde: Another Small Team at the Tournament

Cape Verde, an island nation off West Africa's coast, has around 529,672 inhabitants. Its team advanced through African qualification by topping Group D ahead of Cameroon, a strong football nation. Ranked 67th by FIFA before the tournament, Cape Verde’s presence highlights how the expanded World Cup allows smaller countries to shine on football’s biggest stage.

Smallest Country to Win the World Cup

Uruguay remains the tiniest nation to lift the World Cup trophy. The South American team won the inaugural tournament in 1930 with about 1.5 million residents, then again in 1950 when their population was close to 2 million. Today, Uruguay’s population hovers around 3.5 million, and it still produces top players like Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani.

Croatia nearly joined Uruguay’s ranks after reaching the 2018 final with just under 4 million people. Although France beat them 4-2, Croatia returned to the semifinals in the following World Cup, proving their consistent strength despite a small population compared to giants like Brazil or Germany.