Curacao supporters' scarf (Photo: Tyler Thrasher/FOX)
PHILADELPHIA - Curaçao’s World Cup run has already made history, and now the island’s fans are bringing that celebration to Philadelphia.
Curaçao celebrates in Philadelphia
Ahead of Thursday’s Curaçao vs. Ivory Coast match at Philadelphia Stadium, the Curaçao Tourist Board hosted an event Wednesday at Ballers Philadelphia to celebrate the country’s first World Cup appearance.
The event included music, games, food, drinks and giveaways, including tickets to the Curaçao vs. Ivory Coast match and a grand prize trip to the island.
Muryad de Bruin, managing director of the Curaçao Tourist Board, said the feeling around the island’s World Cup debut can be summed up in one word.
"Euphoric," de Bruin said. "That’s the word. It encompasses you. It’s euphoric."
RELATED: Curaçao vs Ivory Coast preview: Knockout hopes on the line for both in Philadelphia
Curaçao makes World Cup history
Curaçao entered the 2026 World Cup as the smallest nation ever to qualify for the tournament.
For the island, simply reaching the World Cup has already become a national celebration.
"Qualifying for the World Cup is already a big and huge win," de Bruin said. "Being a huge underdog and still being able to participate and compete tomorrow and having a chance to go to the next round is beautiful to see."
Curaçao opened the tournament with a 7-1 loss to Germany, but still scored against the four-time World Cup champions.
The team then earned its first-ever World Cup point with a 0-0 draw against Ecuador, keeping its hopes alive heading into Thursday’s match against Ivory Coast.
"We got our first point ever in a World Cup match," de Bruin said. "We also still scored a goal against four-time World Cup champions Germany. So, that’s really special to be able to experience those things."
TOPSHOT - Curaçao players and fans celebrate World Cup 2026 qualification after a 0-0 draw with Jamaica at the National Stadium in Kingston, Jamaica on November 18, 2025. The tiny Caribbean nation of Curacao became the smallest country ever to qualif …
What the ‘blue wave’ means
Curaçao fans have embraced the idea of the "blue wave," a reference to the team’s colors and the energy surrounding its historic World Cup run.
De Bruin said Curaçao is bringing that spirit to Philadelphia.
"We bring the blue wave," de Bruin said. "We bring happiness. We bring joy. We bring the excitement."
He said Curaçao’s fans are not only coming to compete, but to celebrate.
"For us, we compete, but we party," de Bruin said. "And that’s what we’re bringing to Philly. We’re bringing our blue wave to Philly."
De Bruin said fans in Philadelphia should expect to see Curaçao supporters celebrating no matter the result.
"Win, lose or draw, we’re going to be a happy, happy country," de Bruin said. "Honored to be part of this."
Curaçao Tourist Board Managing Director Muryad de Bruin (Photo: Tyler Thrasher/FOX)
What to know about Curaçao
De Bruin said the World Cup gives people a chance to learn more about Curaçao beyond what they may already know about the island.
Curaçao is located in the southern Caribbean, outside the hurricane belt. De Bruin said that makes the island a year-round destination.
He also said Curaçao’s place within the Dutch kingdom gives it a different feel from other Caribbean destinations.
"You can imagine yourself, an island that had a baby with Amsterdam, and that’s us, but colorful," de Bruin said.
RELATED: Curacao fans pack FIFA Philly Fan Fest for Raey concert ahead of World Cup match
The third thing people should know, he said, is the island’s people.
De Bruin said Curaçao is home to more than 55 nationalities living together, and many people on the island speak four languages.
"That’s what makes us, as locals, as Curaçao people, so unique and so beautiful," de Bruin said.
Curacao event (Photo: Tyler Thrasher/FOX)
A chance to share Curaçao with the world
For de Bruin, Curaçao’s World Cup run is about more than soccer.
He said the tournament gives people a reason to learn about different cultures, languages and communities.
"The World Cup, soccer, unites people," de Bruin said. "Everybody’s competitive, every nation is competitive, but at the end of the day, it unites people."
Curaçao’s presence in Philadelphia also gives the island another chance to introduce itself to fans who may only know the name from the famous blue liqueur.
De Bruin said Curaçao wants to spread joy during its time on the world stage.
"We’re going to be sharing the love and sharing the happiness that we are from a small island," de Bruin said.
What's next:
Curaçao faces Ivory Coast on Thursday at Philadelphia Stadium in its final Group E match.
Ivory Coast can advance to the knockout stage with a win or draw, while Curaçao likely needs a win to keep its World Cup run alive as one of the best third-place teams.
De Bruin said Curaçao is embracing the moment either way.
"It’s a great time to be alive," de Bruin said. "Embrace it. Enjoy the participation. Be competitive."
He said the island still believes the blue wave can keep going.
"We’re still in the running," de Bruin said. "Tomorrow is going to be amazing ONCE we qualify. I’m just putting it out there."
People pose with an image of Curacao's player Leandro Bacuna at the official fan store in Willemstad, Curacao, in the Dutch Caribbean, on April 8, 2026. Small island, big dreams. The poster of Curacao's national football team hangs at the entrance of …
The Source: This article was written using information from the Curaçao Tourist Board and an interview with Muryad de Bruin.