KINGSTON, Jamaica – Curacao is headed to the 2026 FIFA World Cup for the first time in its history after holding Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz to a goalless draw in their final CONCACAF World Cup qualifying match here on Tuesday.
Curacao players celebrate after their historic qualification to the 2026 FIFA World Cup. (Photo courtesy CONCACAF)The result was enough to ensure that Curacao finished unbeaten and atop Group B on 12 points from their six games, one more than Jamaica, who will now have to go through the FIFA Play-Off Tournament in order to book their spot at next year’s World Cup.
Playing at home at the National Stadium, the Reggae Boyz will consider themselves unlucky not to have found the back of the net after hitting the woodwork on three occasions.
Greg Leigh almost broke the deadlock in the 54th minute, but his header bounced off the right post and away to safety.
Curaçao also wasted a good opportunity to take the lead in the 66th minute, but Jamaica’s goalkeeper Andre Blake did well to save Jürgen Locadia’s shot from inside the box which was headed for the bottom-left corner.
Jamaica then saw two more headers rattle the woodwork in the dying stages, with Shamar Nicholson hitting the crossbar in the 70th minute and Bailey Cadamarteri the right post in the 87th minute.
