WILLEMSTAD – The Royal Dutch Football Association and the Curaçao Football Federation have signed a cooperation agreement aimed at strengthening football development within the Kingdom. The Memorandum of Understanding was signed on Wednesday morning by Royal Dutch Football Association chairman Frank Paauw and Curaçao Football Federation president Gilbert Martina.
The signing marked the conclusion of a three-day visit by a Dutch football delegation to Curaçao. While ties between the two football associations have existed for many years, the agreement formally reinforces and structures the cooperation.
The initial focus of the partnership will be on the education and training of coaches and referees. In addition, the agreement covers collaboration in areas such as match organization, football infrastructure, and the further development of women’s and youth football on the island.
According to Paauw, both associations share a joint responsibility within the Kingdom of the Netherlands to continue developing the sport. Martina described the agreement as a long-held ambition for Curaçao’s football community and expressed confidence that the cooperation will provide a significant boost to the game on the island.
The agreement comes as both the Netherlands and Curaçao prepare for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada. For Curaçao, the tournament will be historic. The country qualified for a World Cup finals for the first time in November and, with a population of around 156,000, will be the smallest nation ever to compete at a World Cup.