The Curacao World Cup 2026 squad are history makers.
Dick Advocaats Curacao will play at the finals for the first time at World Cup 2026 and they qualified in some style, winning all four games in their initial CONCACAF group stage and winning their second group above Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago to book their place.
Curacaos journey to the World Cup has captured international attention. Curacao is a constituent country within the state of the Netherlands and the national team is benefiting from a FIFA rule change that enables the selection of players who represented the Netherlands at youth levels.
Bolstered by an array of Curacaoan-descended talent, the island nation will become the smallest country to have ever competed in the World Cup.
Of the squad that was selected by Advocaat in November, 10 players are employed in the Netherlands.
Leandro and Juninho Bacuna, both former Premier League players now playing in Turkey, are typical examples: the Groningen-born brothers Bacuna represented the Netherlands at Under-21 level but are senior Curacao internationals.
Leandro Bacuna is Advocaats captain and shares the honour of being his countrys most-capped player with veteran former Vitesse and PSV goalkeeper Eloy Room.
Squad
Curacao World Cup 2026 squad: the November selection
- GK: Eloy Room (Unattached)
- GK: Trevor Doornbusch (VVV Venlo)
- GK: Tyrick Bodak (Telstar)
- DF: Jurien Gaari (Abha)
- DF: Roshon van Eijma (RKC Waalwijk)
- DF: Sherel Floranus (PEC Zwolle)
- DF: Joshua Brenet (Livingston)
- DF: Shurandy Sambo (Sparta Rotterdam)
- DF: Armando Obispo (PSV Eindhoven)
- DF: Deveron Fonville (NEC)
- MF: Leandro Bacuna (Bandrmaspor)
- MF: Juninho Bacuna (Gaziantep)
- MF: Godfried Roemeratoe (RKC Waalwijk)
- MF: Kevin Felida (Den Bosch)
- MF: Livano Comenencia (Zurich)
- MF: Ar'jany Martha (Rotherham United)
- MF: Tyrese Noslin (Telstar)
- MF: Tahith Chong (Sheffield United)
- FW: Kenji Gorre (Maccabi Haifa)
- FW: Gervane Kastaneer (Persis Solo)
- FW: Jeremy Antonisse (Kifisia)
- FW: Jearl Margaritha (Beveren)
- FW: Jurgen Locadia (Unattached)
- FW: Sontje Hansen (Middlesbrough)
- FW: Jordi Paulina (Borussia Dortmund II)
Fixtures and results
November 18: Jamaica 0-0 Curacao, Independence Park, Kingston, Jamaica
November 13: Bermuda 0-7 Curacao, Bermuda National Stadium, Hamilton, Bermuda
October 14: Curacao 1-1 Trinidad and Tobago, Ergilio Hato Stadium, Willemstad, Curacao
October 10: Curacao 2-0 Jamaica, Ergilio Hato Stadium, Willemstad, Curacao
September 9: Curacao 3-2 Bermuda, Ergilio Hato Stadium, Willemstad, Curacao
September 5: Trinidad and Tobago 0-0 Curacao, Hasely Crawford Stadium, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago
June 24: Honduras 2-1 Curacao, PayPal Park, San Jose, United States
June 21: Curacao 1-1 Canada, Shell Energy Stadium, Houston, United States
June 17: Curacao 0-0 El Salvador, PayPal Park, San Jose, United States
June 10: Haiti 1-5 Curacao, Trinidad Stadium, Oranjestad, Aruba
June 6: Curacao 4-0 Saint Lucia, Ergilio Hato Stadium, Willemstad, Curacao
March 19: Curacao 0-2 Kazakhstan, Antalya, Turkey
Manager
Who is Curacao's manager?
Dick Advocaat was 78 years old when Curacao qualified for their first World Cup. The Dutch legend has been in charge since the start of 2024 and now enjoys storied status on the island.
Advocaat has a wealth of experience not only in the club game but at the helm of a long list of national teams including the Netherlands, the United Arab Emirates, Russia and Iraq.
World Cup 2026 will be Advocaats third, each with a different country. With a coaching career of such diversity that dates back to 1980, we can assume he wouldnt have had it any other way. Hell be the competitions oldest-ever manager.
Star player
Who is Curacao's star player?
Links with the Netherlands means there are familiar names dotted throughout the Curacao squad but its captain Leandro Bacuna whos been at the forefront of the new wave of the Blue Wave.
The verstaile 34-year-old is Curacaos second-highest goalscorer and has been keeping his shooting boots primed since moving to Bandirmaspor in the summer of 2025.
Bacuna played in England and Wales in between two stints with home-town club Groningen, making more than 100 league appearances for both Aston Villa and Cardiff City as well as playing for Reading and Watford in the Championship.
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