WILLEMSTAD – With 48 participating teams and more than 100 matches scheduled, the Fundashon Bicentini WK 2026 is rapidly developing into one of the largest youth football tournaments on the island. According to initiator Remko Bicentini, the event is about much more than sport—it is designed to create opportunities, build self-confidence, and offer perspective for young people in Curaçao.
While the world looks ahead to the official FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, children in Curaçao are preparing for their own version of the global tournament. The group stage is set to kick off on April 19 and 26, followed by knockout rounds in May, with the finals scheduled for June 7, 2026.
A total of 48 teams will compete, each representing a country that has qualified for the real World Cup. Participants include primary schools, neighborhood teams, and children from communities across the island. “This is about opportunity, growth, and confidence,” Bicentini said.
In the lead-up to the tournament, practice matches are already being played with a professional atmosphere. One such match took place Tuesday at the Johan Maurits School in Otrobanda, where students representing Germany faced off against a team from Frater Evonius School in Koraalspecht, representing Curaçao.
According to organizers, the match had all the elements of an international fixture, including national anthems, full stands, and a highly charged atmosphere. “It felt like the children were playing a final,” Bicentini said. “They gave everything, with pure passion.”
A memorable moment occurred before the match when the children saw the World Cup trophy on display. Although they were allowed to touch it, many chose not to, believing it might bring bad luck ahead of a potential final—an idea they had picked up from watching professional football.
While Curaçao won the match, organizers stressed that results are secondary to the broader goals of the tournament. “This is not an endpoint, but a beginning. If a child learns here that he or she matters, then we have already won,” Bicentini added.
With just weeks to go before kickoff, interest in the tournament is clearly growing across the island. The event is shaping up to be more than just a sporting competition, evolving into a community-driven initiative focused on experience, development, and unity.