Foot: le Panama, Haïti et Curaçao qualifiés pour le Mondial-2026
Panama, Haiti and the small island of Curaçao qualified on Tuesday night for the 2026 FIFA World Cup by finishing first in their groups in the Concacaf zone qualifiers.
They join the United States, Canada and Mexico, co-hosts of the next World Cup, among the nations directly qualified from the region.
The Panamanians triumphed in Group A, concluding their campaign with a 3-0 victory against El Salvador, and will participate in the competition for the second time after 2018.
"Now, nobody can stop us," said Panamanian coach Thomas Christiansen, a Spanish-Danish player, visibly moved at the end of the match.
Curaçao, meanwhile, held Jamaica to a 0-0 draw in Group B to maintain their lead and, with a population of around 150,000, become the least populated nation to qualify for the World Cup in history. This will be the first appearance of the "Blue Wave".
The historic qualification of this southern Caribbean island was greeted with bursts of joy in the many bars and restaurants of Willemstad, the capital of Curaçao.
"It makes me feel incredible, incredible because we are the smallest country to have ever reached the World Cup! We will show everyone that we are small, but we have a big heart," an anonymous Curaçao supporter encountered in the streets of the capital told AFP.
McClaren throws in the towel
Jamaica coach Steve McClaren, who took over the Reggae Boyz more than a year ago in July 2024, has decided to resign after failing to qualify his team directly.
"Managing this team has truly been one of the greatest honors of my career. But football is a results-based business and tonight we did not achieve our objective (...) It is up to the leader (...) to take responsibility," the former England manager explained at a press conference.
Jamaica still has a chance to qualify for the World Cup. Along with Suriname, it is one of the two best runners-up in the Concacaf zone and will therefore participate in an intercontinental playoff tournament in March, where two final spots will be contested against Iraq, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Bolivia and New Caledonia.
The Haitian "Grenadiers" beat Nicaragua (2-0) in Group C, and will play in their second World Cup, after 1974.
Commentaires (5)
Super Haïti !!! Nous sommes fiers de vous.
Toute l’Afrique sera derrière vous pour vous porter !
Les difficultés passeront vous une une grande nation et notre fierté.
Allez nous sommes tous Haïtiens
C’est un peuple fort qui sait se dresser comme un lion rugissant comme ce fut le cas à Bois-Caïman.
Allez les marrons force à vous !!
L’éclipse du soleil passera!
L’ère sera d tes enfants sera brillante, maman Africa
Tout le monde va à ce truc...............La Coupe du monde 2026 accueillera 48 équipes
48 sur combien de pays dans le monde 🤣?
Si vous n’avez rien à dire alors abstenez vous de …
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