The 156,000 and the 1.4 Billion
Key takeaways
- On a humid Tuesday evening last November, in a stadium in Kingston, Jamaica, 11 men in royal-blue jerseys did almost nothing for 90 minutes—and made history.
- As The Associated Press noted, Met Life Stadium in New Jersey, where the World Cup final will be played on July 19, has roughly half the capacity of Curaçao’s entire population.
- As The Associated Press noted, MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, where the World Cup final will be played on July 19, has roughly half the capacity of Curaçao’s entire population.
On a humid Tuesday evening last November, in a stadium in Kingston, Jamaica, 11 men in royal-blue jerseys did almost nothing for 90 minutes—and made history. Curaçao, the Dutch Caribbean island known mainly for its golden beaches and electric-blue liqueur, held Jamaica to a goalless draw, and in so doing booked a place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup for the first time ever.
Curaçao is a country of about 156,000 people. As The Associated Press noted, Met Life Stadium in New Jersey, where the World Cup final will be played on July 19, has roughly half the capacity of Curaçao’s entire population.
On a humid Tuesday evening last November, in a stadium in Kingston, Jamaica, 11 men in royal-blue jerseys did almost nothing for 90 minutes—and made history. Curaçao, the Dutch Caribbean island known mainly for its golden beaches and electric-blue liqueur, held Jamaica to a goalless draw, and in so doing booked a place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup for the first time ever.