WILLEMSTAD (DA) — A fourth friendly sounds like one more date on a calendar. For Curaçao, it could be a fork in the road for the Blue Wave as it builds toward the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The federation has explored two ideas for that extra match: Turkey in Miami or Cape Verde in Rotterdam at De Kuip. Both come with appeal. But if the question is which option makes the most sense on money, logistics, and the team’s mindset, Rotterdam keeps checking more boxes.
A crowd you can plan for
Friendlies live and die by something simple: how many people buy tickets.
Rotterdam is one of those rare cities where a Curaçao–Cape Verde match can be marketed straight to two communities with real roots in the same place. A Council of Europe profile on Rotterdam’s population diversity lists the Antilles/Aruba and Cape Verde among the city’s largest minority groups.
That matters because it reduces guesswork. It is easier to sell an event when you know who you are selling to, where they live, and why the game matters to them.
Miami is a huge market, no doubt. Miami-Dade County’s population estimate was 2,838,461 as of July 1, 2024, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. But “big market” is not the same as “sure crowd,” especially when the venue and promoter details for a Miami match are not known. Without those pieces, it is harder to project a gate, set pricing, and lock in sponsorship with confidence.
The stadium sells itself
De Kuip is also a clean product. It is a famous football venue with a stated capacity of 47,500 for matches, according to the stadium’s official site.
That gives everyone a clear starting point. You know the size of the inventory. You know the look of the stage. You know what you are pitching to partners.
A Miami game could still be attractive, but not knowing the stadium makes the business side harder. Capacity, rental terms, staffing needs, and even broadcast setup can swing a budget. Those unknowns are not small in a friendly, where margins can be tight.
Travel and timing
Rotterdam can also make sense on logistics. Curaçao already has Scotland locked in for Glasgow, and the next step after that match matters. Keeping the next friendly in Europe can simplify the travel plan compared with switching continents for a single match in Miami, especially for a Blue Wave group that will be managing player availability and recovery across multiple clubs and time zones.
There is one big exception. A Miami friendly could make more sense if it is scheduled after June 9, when Curaçao can begin using its Boca Raton base camp and facilities as a FIFA courtesy, as Deporte Awe has reported. If the team goes to South Florida earlier than that, many of the costs would likely land on the Curaçao Football Federation. That can add real, and maybe unnecessary, expense on top of an already costly international window.
Football fit matters too
Scotland already gives Curaçao a European opponent in this warmup run. Turkey is also UEFA. So a Turkey friendly, even if it is glamorous on paper, can be another European style test right after Scotland.
Cape Verde brings something different. It is an African opponent, which is the type of matchup Curaçao has wanted in its build toward a World Cup group that mixes confederations, according to prior Deporte Awe reporting. A Cape Verde friendly can help the staff test different problems: rhythm, physicality, spacing, and game management against a different football profile.
The risk of a bad night before the World Cup
Turkey’s rank also changes the pressure.
In a recent listing of the FIFA men’s rankings, Turkey was placed 25th. That is the kind of opponent that can sharpen a team. It is also the kind of opponent that can punish mistakes.
A heavy defeat close to the World Cup can carry into the tournament, even if it does not change anything on paper. Confidence can dip. Noise gets louder. Players can start pressing, trying to “fix” things fast. For a debut World Cup team, managing that emotional weight is part of the job, and the Blue Wave would not be immune to that.
Turkey’s ranking also comes with a reminder: being strong does not guarantee a World Cup trip. Turkey have reached the World Cup finals twice, in 1954 and 2002, with a third-place finish in 2002.
Why Rotterdam keeps winning the comparison
Miami could still work. It can deliver visibility, a big-city stage, and a market that is used to major events. But until the stadium and commercial structure are clear, the Miami option carries more uncertainty.
Rotterdam offers more knowns. A defined venue. A documented community base for both teams in the same city. A simpler travel story after Scotland. And a football matchup that fits what the Blue Wave needs without adding the extra risk of walking into the World Cup after a possible lopsided result.
In friendlies, the smartest move is often the one with fewer surprises. Right now, Rotterdam looks like that move.