World Cup qualification within reach
Football dwarf before historic triumph
November 14, 2025 – 8:38 a.mReading time: 2 minutes
A country that only played its first international match in 2011 is well on its way to taking part in a World Cup finals for the first time. An old acquaintance is standing on the sidelines. Now there is a deciding duel.
Curaçao is on the verge of the greatest success in its football history. After a clear 7-0 win against Bermuda, the team of former star coach Dick Advocaat (including the Netherlands, Borussia Mönchengladbach) leads Group B of the qualification in North and Central America and the Caribbean – and has the 2026 World Cup in sight.
Competitors Jamaica couldn’t get more than a 1-1 draw against Trinidad and Tobago and therefore slipped to second place and currently have one point less. In the decisive direct duel on Wednesday, Curaçao only needs a draw to secure group victory and thus book their ticket to the finals in the USA, Canada and Mexico. Jamaica is hoping for its second World Cup participation after 1998.
Things didn’t go so well for Honduras: the three-time World Cup participant surprisingly lost 2-0 to Nicaragua, who were previously bottom of the group. Costa Rica also suffered a setback. The team lost to Haiti 0-1. In Group C, three teams still have a chance of first place: Honduras and Haiti (8 points each) and Costa Rica (6 points). On the final day of the match, Costa Rica and Honduras will meet head-to-head, while Haiti will face Nicaragua.
There is also tension in Group A: Both Panama and Suriname go into the final game with nine points. Suriname clearly defeated El Salvador 4-0, Panama narrowly won 3-2 against Guatemala. Thanks to the better goal difference, a draw is enough for Suriname to qualify for the World Cup.
Only the respective group winners qualify directly for the World Cup. The two best runners-up have to go to the play-offs.