Six smallest countries ever to qualify for the FIFA World Cup
Cape Verde officially booked its first-ever spot at the FIFA World Cup, becoming the second-smallest country by population to ever reach the men’s global tournament.
The Atlantic island nation, with approximately 525,000 inhabitants, secured one of Africa’s automatic berths for the expanded 2026 World Cup with a commanding 3-0 victory over Eswatini.
Here is a look at the six smallest nations to ever qualify for the FIFA World Cup, based on their estimated population at the time of their debut appearance:
Iceland – Population: 340,000
With a population of just over 350,000, Iceland became the smallest country ever to qualify for the World Cup when it booked a spot at Russia 2018.
The Nordic nation had already captured global attention two years earlier when it eliminated England on its way to the quarterfinals of Euro 2016.
In Russia, Iceland earned a memorable draw against Argentina before bowing out after defeats to Croatia and Nigeria, but their achievement remains one of football’s great underdog stories.
Cape Verde – Population: 525,000
Cape Verde made history on Monday by qualifying for their first-ever World Cup after defeating Eswatini 3-0 in Praia.
The Atlantic island nation, which gained independence from Portugal 50 years ago, boasts a population of around 525,000 and sits 70th in the FIFA rankings.
Known as the Blue Sharks, Cape Verde have qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations four times, reaching the quarterfinals in 2013 and 2023.
They are the smallest nation among all the teams heading to the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada.
Paraguay – Population: 860,000
When Paraguay appeared at the inaugural World Cup in 1930, its population was under one million, making it one of the smallest nations ever to compete.
The South Americans exited in the first round after losing to the U.S. and defeating Belgium.
They have since become regular participants, qualifying eight more times, and will make their ninth appearance at the 2026 World Cup after clinching South America’s final direct qualifying spot.
Trinidad & Tobago – Population: 1.3 million
The Caribbean nation qualified for its first and only World Cup in 2006 in Germany, becoming the smallest country in CONCACAF history to reach the finals.
Trinidad & Tobago earned their ticket after winning an intercontinental playoff and were eliminated in the group stage, but their qualification inspired a generation of Caribbean footballers.
Northern Ireland – Population: 1.4 million
Northern Ireland made their World Cup debut in 1958 with a population of just 1.4 million and reached the quarterfinals, defeating Czechoslovakia along the way before losing to France.
The team also appeared in 1982 and 1986, famously beating Spain on home soil in the 1982 group stage, one of their greatest football moments.
Kuwait – Population: 1.5 million
Kuwait qualified for their first and only World Cup in 1982, with a population of about 1.7 million at the time.
They finished bottom of their group in Spain, but remain one of only a few Gulf nations ever to reach the tournament. Their qualification followed a golden era for Kuwaiti football, highlighted by winning the 1980 AFC Asian Cup.
