Haiti is heading back to the FIFA World Cup for the first time since 1974, securing a long-awaited return with a 2–0 victory over Nicaragua in the final round of Concacaf qualifying on Tuesday.
The win at Stadion Ergilio Hato in Willemstad, Curaçao, clinched the top spot in Group C and marked just the second World Cup qualification in the nation’s history.
Haiti struck early. Louicius Deedson opened the scoring in the 9th minute with a left-footed strike from the top of the box after a setup from Josué Casimir. Moments before halftime, Les Grenadiers doubled their lead when Ruben Providence headed home a Carlens Arcus cross in first-half stoppage time.
The result capped a resilient qualifying campaign played entirely away from home. Haiti has been unable to host matches due to the country’s ongoing conflict, forcing the team to stage its “home” fixtures 500 miles away in Curaçao. Their 52-year-old French manager, Sébastien Migné, has never set foot in Haiti since his appointment 18 months ago, saying security risks make travel impossible. International flights into the country have ceased, and the Haitian federation has operated under extraordinary circumstances — even relying on phone calls to provide Migné with updates on local players.
The crisis in Haiti has deepened over the past decade, especially since the 2010 earthquake. Armed gangs have seized large parts of Port-au-Prince, displacing more than a million people and worsening food insecurity. In March 2024, the national stadium, Stade Sylvio Cator, was overtaken by gangs and vandalized, halting all events.
Despite those challenges, Haiti’s squad — a mix of Haiti-born players and talent from the diaspora — pushed through. The group includes Wolves midfielder Jean-Ricner Bellegarde, who was born in France to Haitian parents. The team is also looking to bring in Sunderland forward Wilson Isidor, who has Haitian heritage.
Nicaragua finished its qualifying campaign in fourth place with four points and a 1-1-4 record.
Haiti now joins Panama, who defeated El Salvador 3–0, and Curaçao, who qualified after a draw with Jamaica, as Concacaf’s latest representatives for the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
In their only previous World Cup appearance in 1974, Haiti exited in the first round after facing Italy, Poland and Argentina. This time, they arrive under far different circumstances — and with a story shaped by perseverance far beyond the field.
