‘Joy, pure joy’: Curacao, Uzbekistan, Jordan citizens in Singapore celebrate historic World Cup debuts
Far from home but closer than ever to football history, citizens of World Cup debutant nations, who are living in Singapore, are gearing up to support their countries’ first-ever campaigns at the tournament.
Members of the Uzbek community in Singapore paint their national flag on their faces during a gathering.
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SINGAPORE: When Curacao takes to the field against Germany at the FIFA World Cup in a few days, Ms Suraimy Stephens will be cheering on her home country from Singapore.
With the match kicking off at 1am local time on Monday (Jun 15), she and her husband have already cleared the rest of the day to recover, in anticipation of an adrenaline-filled late night.
For the Curacao native, it is not just another football match. It is a moment she never thought she would see.
“Joy, pure joy,” she recalled of the moment Curacao qualified for the World Cup for the first time last November. “I’m really proud, it’s incredible. I couldn’t believe it.”
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The Caribbean island nation has made history as the smallest country ever to qualify for the tournament.
With a landmass of 444 sq km – about 60 per cent of Singapore’s size – and a population of 156,000, Curacao’s appearance on football’s biggest stage has become a source of pride for citizens both at home and abroad.
“(Our) population is … the size of Ang Mo Kio in Singapore,” Ms Stephens said.
“So, to be able to punch above our weight on a global stage and achieve something like that, when no one is really expecting it from you, is a pretty big deal. (It’s) a reminder to all of us that we can do more than we think.”
She has lived in Singapore for seven years and raises her young daughter here. The World Cup has given her an opportunity to share a piece of home with those around her.
“I share where I come from mostly through laughter, food, and dancing,” she told CNA while hosting a dinner gathering for local and foreign friends.
“Curacao is a multiracial society, which is very similar to Singapore, so I’m not surprised I feel so at home here.”
The 41-year-old believes she is the only Curacaoan here in Singapore, but has found community among fellow Caribbean nationals.
“There are lots of people from the Caribbean here – from Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, etc. We’ve got a little WhatsApp community going,” she said.
“Even though we may not be from the country, we still support each other collectively in Singapore.”
The Caribbean community is expected to turn out in force for the tournament, rallying behind teams from across the region.
There is particular excitement around Haiti, whose qualification ended a 52-year wait for a return to the world’s most-watched football tournament. The nation last appeared at the World Cup in 1974.
For Ms Stephens, the World Cup is about more than football.
“It gives opportunities to nations to showcase what they’re made of, their culture, their talent (and) their sense of pride and excitement,” she said.
“THERE WERE TEARS”
Across the island, another community is celebrating a similar milestone.
Uzbekistan will become the first Central Asian nation to play at a World Cup, an achievement that has sparked pride among the more than 200 Uzbeks living in Singapore.
The community regularly gathers to celebrate national holidays, share traditional food and support one another far from home. They even organise weekly sessions for football, which is widely considered the nation’s most popular sport.
“Everybody watches football, everybody plays football,” said Ms Dilnoza Goibova Orzievna, 35, who runs the Uzbek community group in Singapore.
So, when Uzbekistan secured a coveted place among the tournament’s 48 teams, emotions ran high.
“We were so excited and overjoyed. There were tears, phone calls and messages. It’s the first time in Uzbek history our country qualified for the World Cup,” Ms Orzievna said.
The community is planning watch parties for the matches, with supporters expected to turn up in Uzbekistan’s national colours and bring friends along to share in the celebrations.
The most anticipated fixture falls in the wee hours of Wednesday morning, when Uzbekistan takes on Portugal. Ms Orzievna said many in Singapore’s Uzbek community are avid Cristiano Ronaldo fans, making the chance to watch their country go up against the Portuguese star at a World Cup all the more special.
Nationals from Jordan, another first-time qualifier, are also expected to gather for their country’s World Cup debut on Wednesday at Chijmes.
Mr Sami Ammous, a 45-year-old Jordanian business owner who has lived in Singapore for a decade, said seeing his country qualify for the World Cup is still hard to believe.
“Football is a very popular sport in Jordan and seeing the team qualify for the World Cup is inspiring. We’ve been close before but to see it actually happen is almost unbelievable,” he told CNA.
“Growing up, we all cheered on other teams, so it’s really nice to be able to actually cheer for our own country. I’m very proud of the players and the discipline to get there.”
Mr Ammous said he has yet to meet any Jordanians outside of the embassy but that could change during the World Cup.
With Jordan’s opening match against Austria taking place at midday Singapore time, he hopes to join other supporters at the Chijmes watch party.
“If work allows, that’s where I’ll be,” he said.
Subscribe to the FIFA World Cup 2026™ and catch all 104 matches live on mewatch. Visit mewatch.sg/fifaworldcup for more details.
Source: CNA/dn(mp)
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