A ‘Blue Wave’ will carry Curaçao’s all-time World Cup underdog story to Philly

The former Dutch territory is the smallest country ever to qualify for a men’s World Cup. It's better-known for producing baseball players, but in recent years has grown on the world soccer stage.

Curacao goalkeeper Eloy Room will be instrumental in the team's first-ever World Cup appearance this summer. Read moreJulia Duarte / Staff Illustration, Courtesy of AP

by Jonathan Tannenwald

Published Feb. 9, 2026, 5:00 a.m. ET

Every World Cup has its underdogs, and this year’s edition will have more than most because it’s the first with 48 teams. But none will be quite like Curaçao.

It’s the smallest country ever to qualify for a men’s World Cup, by both population (just over 150,000 people) and land mass (171 square miles).

Long ago, as a Dutch territory and then part of the former Netherlands Antilles, Curaçao became its own nation in late 2010. In March 2011, it became an independent member of FIFA.

Since then, the country has grown in soccer by leveraging its connections to the Dutch diaspora to recruit dual-national players. That started to pay off in 2017, when Curaçao qualified for the Concacaf Gold Cup for the first time. Two years later, the Blue Wave reached the quarterfinals, falling to the United States in Philadelphia.

This summer, it’ll be back at the same stadium, this time to play on soccer’s biggest stage of all.

Curaçao’s World Cup schedule

(all times Eastern)

June 14: vs. Germany in Houston (1 p.m., Fox29)

June 20: vs. Ecuador in Kansas City, Mo. (8 p.m., FS1)

June 25: vs. Ivory Coast at Lincoln Financial Field (4 p.m., FS1, tickets)

Fast facts

If you’ve never seen Curaçao on a map, you might have heard of some of its neighbors. Aruba is 75 miles west over the Caribbean Sea, and Venezuela is around 40 miles south. … The squad’s veterans include brothers Juninho and Leandro Bacuna, both of whom have played in England and now play in the Netherlands and Turkey, respectively. … Manager Dick Advocaat is a legend of the sport who previously coached his native Netherlands, Russia, and a slew of club teams, including the Netherlands’ PSV Eindhoven and Scotland’s Rangers. … Curaçao’s most famous athletes traditionally have been baseball players. Notable major leaguers include Andruw Jones, Kenley Jansen, and former Phillie Didi Gregorius.

Former Phillies shortstop Didi Gregorius was born in the Netherlands and grew up in Curaçao from age 5.Read moreYONG KIM / Staff Photographer

Three players to watch

Eloy Room: One of a few Curaçao stalwarts with experience in MLS, he played for the Columbus Crew from 2019 to 2023 and backstopped the team’s MLS Cup title win in 2020. Forward Jürgen Locadia played down the road in Cincinnati from 2020 to 2021.

Ruben Kluivert: He hasn’t played for the Blue Wave yet, but the possibility that he might is big enough. His father is former Dutch superstar striker Patrick Kluivert, and one of his brothers is Justin Kluivert of English Premier League club Bournemouth. Ruben plays for French club Lyon and has considered committing to Curaçao. If he does, he’ll go right into the spotlight.

Tahith Chong: He grew up on the books of mighty Manchester United but never made it there. In 2023, he made it to the big time when he signed for Luton Town after the Hatters’ promotion to the Premier League. Now, he plays for Sheffield United in the second-tier Championship.

Curacao's Roshon Van Eijma (center) guided the nation past Jamaica last year to qualify for its first-ever World Cup. Read moreCollin Reid / AP

Curaçao’s Philly connection … sort of

It’s not direct, but if you’re a Union fan, it will matter to you. Curaçao topped Andre Blake’s Jamaica to win its World Cup qualifying group in the final game, a scoreless tie on Jamaica’s turf. If the Reggae Boyz had won that game, Blake may have gotten a World Cup homecoming after waiting so long to play in the tournament.

SEPTA's Broad Street Line train is a direct path from the city to the stadium on game day. Read moreDavid Maialetti / Staff Photographer

Navigating Philly

The best way to navigate getting to the stadium area where the games will be held is via SEPTA, the city’s public transportation system. The network has its own app and is fully integrated into apps, including Google Maps, Apple Maps, Transit, and CityMapper.

Whether you’re coming in by way of Philadelphia’s international airport or its main train hub, William H. Gray III 30th Street Station, it’s easy to get around Philly’s Center City district and other neighborhoods by bus, train, or trolley.

Don’t feel like figuring out all the schedules? Taxis or ride shares via Uber or Lyft also are quick and convenient options.