WILLEMSTAD – The Curaçao national football team is expected to announce its preliminary squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Friday.
The announcement had originally been scheduled for Tuesday but was postponed following the unexpected return of Dick Advocaat as head coach of the national team.
Major surprises are not expected in the selection.
According to reports, Advocaat is likely to rely largely on the same core group of players that secured Curaçao’s historic qualification for the World Cup last year — the first in the island’s history.
Friday’s announcement is expected to provide the first official look at the squad preparing for the tournament.
As part of its World Cup preparations, Curaçao will begin a training camp later this month in Noordwijk.
During the camp, the team will play a friendly match against the Scotland national football team on May 30 in Glasgow.
A farewell match against the Aruba national football team is scheduled for June 6 on Curaçao before the team departs for the United States for the World Cup.
Curaçao will make its World Cup debut on June 14 in Houston against the Germany national football team.
The team will also face Ecuador national football team and the Ivory Coast national football team during the group stage.