Livano Comenencia’s name will never be forgotten in Curacao. The forward buried a goal in the 21st minute against Germany on June 14, briefly leveling the score at 1-1 and etching his country’s name into World Cup history for the first time.
Germany went on to win 7-1. Curacao’s fans did not care. Not even a little.
A nation of under 200,000 on the world’s biggest stage
Curacao is the smallest nation by population ever to qualify for the FIFA World Cup. The Caribbean island territory has fewer residents than most mid-sized American cities.
The expanded 48-team format for the 2026 World Cup is what made this possible. FIFA’s decision to widen the tournament opened the door for footballing minnows who previously had zero realistic path to qualifying.
