The Antoine Maduro Football Stadium in Willemstad, capital of the Caribbean island of Curaçao, has seen better days. Against the faded yellow and blue walls, the artificial turf glows an unnatural green. The reigning champions, Jong Holland, are about to play Victory Boys, a top-of-the-table clash in Curaçao’s premier league. None of the clubs is professional. Training and matches take place after work, and the fixtures are not even publicly listed.
Why Curaçao has mixed feelings about its World Cup moment
The Caribbean nation is the smallest country ever to qualify for the Fifa World Cup. Photojournalist Mario Heller visited the island to hear how post-colonial reality complicates national pride in the ‘Blue Wave’.
The World Today
Published 15 June 2026 — 4 minute READ
Image — A young hopeful cools off on a Curaçaon beach. Photo: Mario Heller/ Panos Pictures.
