Overview
- Curaçao topped its CONCACAF group unbeaten to clinch a first World Cup berth as the smallest nation ever to qualify.
- Haiti ended a 51-year absence by finishing first in its group, with large street celebrations reported in Port-au-Prince.
- Diaspora-built rosters and foreign coaches underpinned both runs, with Dick Advocaat guiding Curaçao and Sébastien Migné leading Haiti.
- United Nations figures underscore Haiti’s context, with more than 1.3 million displaced, about 2,700 killed by gang violence, and roughly 5.7 million facing hunger.
- The 2026 expansion has produced multiple debutants, with Jordan, Uzbekistan and Cabo Verde also qualifying for their first World Cup.