7 smallest countries to reach World Cup

Curaçao, with a population of around 156,000, made its World Cup debut in 2026, becoming the smallest country to qualify. Before that, Iceland reached the World Cup in 2018 with a population of about 334,000. Other notable countries include Cape Verde, which also debuted in 2026, and Trinidad and Tobago, which participated in 2006 with a population of approximately 1.3 million. Northern Ireland and Paraguay also made history with their qualifications in previous years.