Curaçao will make its first-ever appearance at the FIFA World Cup in 2026, competing under the official country code CUW.

According to Sporting News, the three-letter designation CUW is derived from the ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 standard, the internationally recognised coding system used by FIFA to identify participating nations and territories. The abbreviation is based on the official English spelling of the island’s name, ‘Curaçao’.

As a constituent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Curaçao is eligible to compete independently in international football competitions through its own governing body, the Federashon Futbol Kòrsou (FFK), which holds membership with both FIFA and CONCACAF. This status allows the island to participate in global tournaments separately from the Netherlands.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is set to be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The tournament will be the first edition to feature an expanded field of 48 nations, a format that has broadened qualification opportunities for smaller footballing nations such as Curaçao.

The FFK could not be reached for comment.