Curaçao’s remarkable qualification for the FIFA World Cup 2026 has already been enshrined in football history, with defender Livano Comenencia delivering a symbolic memento to the FIFA Museum in Zurich.
The right-back, who plays his club football with FC Zurich, visited the museum this week to donate his match-worn jersey from the decisive Concacaf qualifier against Jamaica — a game in which he scored and helped secure his country’s first-ever World Cup berth.
With a population of just over 150,000, Curaçao will arrive at the tournament as the smallest nation ever to qualify, preparing to face Côte d’Ivoire, Ecuador and four-time champions Germany in the group stage.
Those opponents represent a combined population exceeding 135 million, underlining the scale of the challenge awaiting Dick Advocaat’s side in North America.
FIFA Museum Director Marco Fazzone described the jersey as a tangible marker of history in the making, noting that Curaçao’s breakthrough represents a new and inspiring chapter in the global game. For Comenencia, handing over the shirt was both emotional and affirming, a reminder that the team’s achievement will endure beyond the tournament itself.
Looking ahead to the World Cup, Comenencia told Fifa.com the prospect of lining up against Germany in Houston is a childhood dream realised. While realistic about the difficulty of the task, he insists Curaçao will compete without fear and with immense national pride. Buoyed by the expanded tournament format, which offers additional pathways beyond the group stage, the former Netherlands youth international believes his team has earned its place through determination, sacrifice and resilience — and is ready to show the world what Curaçao represents.
We were proud to welcome Livano Comenencia to the FIFA Museum 🇨🇼
Comenencia has officially written his name into the history books as part of the golden generation that qualified Curaçao for their first-ever FIFA World Cup! They are the smallest nation ever to take part in the… pic.twitter.com/2WHMERi1lh
— FIFA Museum (@FIFAMuseum) December 11, 2025
