Sunday evening’s offering of World Cup 2026 football begins in Group E with Germany vs Curacao at the NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas, with Ecuador and Ivory Coast the other two teams in the group.
Germany are four-time winners of this tournament, while Curacao are officially the smallest nation in history to qualify – a 171 square-mile island with a population of just 150,000.
So to say this is a mismatch on paper is something of an understatement, but this is all part of a 48-team tournament’s appeal!
Furthermore, Curacao earned their spot through solid performances and a can-do attitude, and Germany will know not to underestimate the opponent – especially with the iconic figure of Dick Advocaat in the managerial dugout.
Check out our full online betting preview below, and we have picked out some more tips based on the latest World Cup odds.
And with so much action coming our way, now is the perfect time to craft a combo bet and utilise NetBet’s Acca Boost tool, which can increase your potential winnings by up to 50%.
Where can I watch Germany vs Curacao in the UK?
Germany vs Curacao will be broadcast live on ITV1, with kick-off scheduled for 6pm UK time.
Germany vs Curacao Preview
Recent results
Since losing 2-0 to Slovakia in their first qualifier, Julian Nagelsmann’s Germany have been on a fabulous run. Die Mannschaft proceeded to win the remaining five games in the group, finishing off with a 6-0 home victory over Slovakia to secure top spot. And Germany also won all four of their World Cup warm-up friendlies vs Switzerland (3-4), Ghana (2-1), Finland (4-0) and co-hosts USA (1-2), which means a run of nine straight victories. Ominous.
In their final World Cup qualifying group, Curacao went unbeaten to earn top spot, winning three matches and drawing three. The 0-0 stalemate with Jamaica in the last game – which followed a 7-0 win at Bermuda – was enough to finish one-point clear at the summit, sparking scenes of wild celebration on that November evening. Advocaat’s men lost 4-1 to Scotland in their first warm-up match, but responded well with a 4-0 victory over Aruba last Sunday.
Head-to-head record
This is the first meeting between Germany and Curacao in any competition.
Team news
Germany’s World Cup squad features legendary goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, as well as plenty of other familiar faces in Joshua Kimmich, Jonathan Tah, Jamal Musiala, Florian Wirtz, Leroy Sane and Kai Havertz. Serge Gnabry is ruled out of the World Cup through injury, while teenage star Lennart Karl was forced to drop out of the squad due to a fitness issue – with RB Leipzig’s Assan Ouedraogo replacing him.
Curacao’s squad features a few players known to fans of English football, including former Aston Villa defender Leandro Bacuna and current Sheffield United midfielder Tahith Chong – who debuted at Manchester United earlier in his career. Interestingly, Chong has three goals in his first six appearances for Curacao after representing Netherlands at youth level.
Germany vs Curacao Odds
*All odds are subject to change
Germany are massive favourites to win their tournament opener at 1.03. A victory for Curacao is at very long odds of 34.00, while the draw here is 14.00.
Germany vs Curacao Betting Tips
Germany total goals – Over 3.5 @ 1.67
While Germany will not underestimate Curacao, the difference in quality between the two squads should result in this being a fairly one-sided contest. Die Mannschaft also scored over 3.5 goals in three of their last five matches.
Anytime goalscorer – Kai Havertz @ 1.44
Havertz netted three goals in his previous five international outings, both scoring and assisting in the win over the USA. The Arsenal forward’s record of 22 strikes in 58 appearances for Germany is stellar, and we expect him to put Curacao’s defence to the sword.
Player to score 2 or more goals – Kai Havertz @ 3.10
And if you want to get more value from a Havertz-themed bet, this could be the route to go down. He is almost certain to be Germany’s designated penalty taker when on the pitch, which significantly aids his chances of scoring multiple goals vs Curacao – who conceded four times when last facing European opposition (Scotland).
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