Haiti have secured qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup under extraordinarily challenging circumstances, having been unable to host a single match on home soil for the past four years due to the country’s prolonged instability.
The Caribbean nation has been in crisis since 2021, when President Jovenel Moïse was assassinated, an event that plunged the country into severe political and social unrest. In the years that followed, armed gangs have expanded their control, with current estimates indicating that approximately 85 per cent of the capital, Port-au-Prince, is now under gang influence.
Haiti’s national stadium, the Sylvio Cator Stadium, has also been overtaken and rendered completely unusable, leaving the national team without a home venue. As a result, the Haitians have been compelled to play all their designated “home” qualifiers in Curaçao.
Despite these daunting obstacles, the national team demonstrated remarkable resilience and determination, ultimately securing their place at the 2026 World Cup. Their achievement stands as a powerful testament to the spirit and perseverance of the Haitian people.
