Smallest countries in 2026 World Cup: How Curacao, Cape Verde compare to other tiny nations in history
Smallest countries in 2026 World Cup: How Curacao, Cape Verde compare to other tiny nations in history originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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The largest ever edition of the FIFA World Cup is underway in North America, with all three host nations enjoying positive starts.
There are also rich tales to be told regarding the teams that have come from further afield.
The 48-team lineup marks a significant increase from the 32 that have contested the past seven editions.
One side-effect of this was that it made qualification more straightforward for soccer’s traditional heavyweights in most instances. Italy’s shambolic failure during the UEFA playoff round stands as something of an outlier.
Brazil limped to fifth place in the CONMEBOL qualifier, a performance that would have previously left the only country to contest every single World Cup in jeopardy. However, the top six in South America now go through directly. Seventh-placed Bolivia got a shot at the inter-confederation playoff, where Iraq defeated them to earn a tournament debut.
That was one example of a nation regarded as a footballing minnow grasping the chance to secure a seat at the World Cup table for the first time. However, Iraq has a population of almost 48 million; some of the other tournament newcomers have a far, far smaller native pool to draw from.
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Smallest country in World Cup history
Iceland was the smallest country to take part in a World Cup when they qualified for the 2018 tournament in Russia. In 2026, they were usurped by Curacao.
Heimir Hallgrimsson’s side claimed a famous 1-1 draw against Argentina in their opening match, when Hannes Halldorsson saved a penalty from Lionel Messi after Alfred Finnbogason cancelled out Sergio Aguero’s first-half opener.
Not only were Iceland the smallest country to reach a World Cup, they were also the only nation with a population of under one million to take part in the tournament. Their population stood at 350,000 for the 2018 finals.
Smallest countries in 2026 World Cup
Population figures taken from worldometer.
| Nation | Population |
| Curacao | 185,500 |
| Cape Verde | 529,672 |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 3.12 million |
| Qatar | 3.18 million |
| Croatia | 3.82 million |
Curacao
- Population: 185,500
Curacao is a Caribbean island located roughly 40 miles north of Venezuela.
As such, the Curacao national team — ranked 82nd in the world by FIFA prior to the 2026 World Cup draw — play under the auspices of CONCACAF.
At the 2026 World Cup, Curacao has been drawn in Group E alongside four-time winners Germany, Ecuador and Ivory Coast.
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Cape Verde
- Population: 529,672
Cape Verde is situated in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of West Africa. It comprises 10 volcanic islands. It’s population just in excess of half a million makes it one of the least populous countries in Africa.
The Cape Verde national team progressed through CAF qualification as winners of Group D ahead of African giants Cameroon. They are 67th in the FIFA rankings.
Smallest country to win the World Cup
Uruguay has consistently punched well above its weight in global football and the winners of the inaugural World Cup in 1930, as well as the 1950 tournament, are comfortably the smallest country to lift the trophy.
When Uruguay beat Argentina 4-2 on soil in the first World Cup final, it had a population of around 1.5 million. This had risen to 2 million when they stunned Brazil at the Maracana to regain the crown in 1950.
The 15-time South American champions, home to modern football greats such as Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani, presently draw from a population in the region of 3.5 million.
Croatia could have put themselves in this conversation when they reached the 2018 final against France when the population in the Balkan nation was around 3.9 million. France ran out 4-2 winners but Croatia embarked upon another super run to the semifinals four years ago. In the 21st century, the Kockasti are certainly rivaling Uruguay for the mantle of being the soccer nation that most consistently punches above its weight.
