The state where members of criminal gangs occupied the capital qualified for the World Cup, after 51 years!
Article by Mihai Șovei – Published Wednesday, November 19, 2025, 11:04 / Updated Wednesday, November 19, 2025 11:52
Tuesday evening saw the end of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. Haiti won 2-0 against Nicaragua and qualified for the final tournament in North America. This qualification comes in the context in which Haiti is in a national security crisis triggered by the violence of armed gangs that have taken control of parts of the country, including the capital Port-au-Prince.
Haiti didn't play the qualifiers in their own country, and coach Sebastien Migne hasn't even been to Haiti since he took over as coach!
It is the second participation of the Haitian national team in the World Championship. She was also present at the 1974 edition.
Haiti, qualifying for the World Cup in difficult conditions
The joy of the Haitian national team after qualifying for the World Cup / photo source: Facebook FHF – Fédération Haïtienne De Football
On Tuesday evening, Haiti won 2-0 against the national team of Nicaragua, in a match played in Willemstad (Curacao), where they played all the matches in the World Cup qualifiers. The Central American national team qualified for the World Cup after a 52-year hiatus. The 1974 edition was the only one he participated in.
Haiti's national team qualification comes at a difficult time for the country. Haiti is not in a traditional civil war, but is facing a security crisis triggered by the violence of armed gangs that have taken control of parts of the country. These violences led to the escalation of a political, economic and humanitarian crisis, severely affecting the population. For this reason, Haiti could not play its home matches on the country's territory, so it had to play in Willemstad, the capital of the state of Curacao.
Since the devastating earthquake in Haiti in 2010, the country has been in turmoil. Armed gangs have taken control of almost all of the nation's capital, Port-au-Prince. The situation worsened after the assassination of President Jovenel Moise in 2021. About 1.3 million people were forced to leave their homes, and according to the official website of the United Nations, half of the country's population faces starvation (5.7 million people).
Sebastien Migne, the 52-year-old French coach of the team, has not been able to set foot in Haiti since he was appointed 18 months ago! According to the BBC, he stated that it is far too dangerous for the national team to play in their own country.
It's impossible to play in Haiti because it's too dangerous.
– Sebastien Migne, the Haitian national team
Haiti won the group that also included Honduras, Costa Rica and Nicaragua. It will be the second appearance at a World Championship for the Central American country. The Haitians also participated in 1974, when they finished last in a group that included Argentina, Italy and Poland.
Visas, a problem for fans in Haiti
The issuance of visas for most Haitian citizens has been suspended due to a presidential proclamation by President Donald Trump. Exceptions include certain diplomatic and official visas. It remains to be seen whether the Haitian fans will support the national team without problems at the World Cup in 2026. In a similar situation is Iran, another national team qualified for the tournament from the United States of America, Canada and Mexico.
