King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima pulled off the quickest costume change in royal history on June 20. Bright orange scarves for the Netherlands’ 5-1 demolition of Sweden in Houston. Then bright blue ones for Curaçao’s historic 0-0 draw against Ecuador in Kansas City.

The matches, the milestone, and the money

Curaçao’s result was the headline. The Caribbean island nation, a constituent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, became the smallest nation by both population and area to ever qualify for a World Cup. Earning its first-ever tournament point against Ecuador was the kind of underdog moment that FIFA marketing departments dream about.

Kraken announced in early June 2026 that it had become…