Curacao, making their first-ever appearance at the FIFA World Cup in the North and Central America and Caribbean region this June, are facing an emergency situation as they undergo a coaching change just one month before the tournament.
The Curacao Football Federation (FFK) announced on Monday (local time) that head coach Fred Rutten has stepped down. According to the federation, the decision came “as a result of constructive discussions,” and Rutten “chose to resign to preserve stability and healthy professional relationships within the team and staff, although he was not the subject of the consultations.”
The FFK also stated that a new head coach will be appointed soon and a press conference will be held to provide further details on the situation.
Rutten had only taken over in February after Dick Advocaat, who led Curacao through the final qualifying round in November 2025, resigned due to his daughter’s health issues. However, Curacao lost two international friendlies in March — 0-2 to China and 1-5 to Australia — fueling growing calls for Advocaat’s return.
With a population of just 156,000, Curacao will become the least populous nation ever to compete in a World Cup. They are placed in Group F alongside Germany, Ecuador, and Ivory Coast.
