2026 World Cup Objective: Haiti Believes
By Mardoche D’Aout · Port-au-Prince · · 3 min read · Updated 24 April 2026
Translated from French — AI-assisted and reviewed by the editorial team. The French version is authoritative. Read the original · About our translation policy
The dream takes shape again. Fifty-one years after its first and only World Cup participation, Haiti finds itself in the final stages of CONCACAF zone qualifiers, determined to secure its ticket to the great global football celebration. For a people who breathe and suffer to the rhythm of their national team, this qualifying campaign is much more than a sporting adventure; it is a story of hope and rebirth.
The last time Haiti reached such a level of competition was several decades ago. In 1974, driven by the legendary Emmanuel Sanon, the Grenadiers wrote the most beautiful page in Haitian football history by qualifying for the World Cup in Germany. Since then, the country has seen generations of talent, but never such proximity to a new global dream.
Today, the doors of destiny are opening again.
The 2026 edition will mark a turning point in football history: for the first time, 48 teams will participate in the World Cup. In the CONCACAF zone, Mexico, the United States, and Canada are already automatically qualified as host nations. The remaining spots will be contested among the other nations in the region, and Haiti fully intends to join the celebration.
After two matches, Haiti stood firm against two major regional football nations: Honduras and Costa Rica.
Two draws, two points, and above all, a glimmer of hope after a solid performance against the Costa Ricans, an opponent long considered untouchable.
In Group C, Haiti currently holds third place, and everything is still to play for.
Tonight, at 8 PM (local time), the Grenadiers will face Nicaragua at the Estadio Nacional de Managua, for the third matchday.
A crucial, yet symbolic match: Haiti maintains an excellent record against the Nicaraguans, with 5 wins, 2 draws, and only one defeat in 8 confrontations.
The only blemish: that 3-0 defeat, precisely in Managua, in 2017. A bitter memory that the Grenadiers will want to erase tonight.
Haiti can count on an experienced team, strengthened by players who play in the biggest European leagues:
Jean-Ricner Bellegarde (Wolverhampton, English Premier League),
Hannes Delcroix (Burnley, England),
Carlesn Arcus and Josué Casimir (Ligue 1, France).
Around them, a united, talented, and ambitious group, guided by a coach who knows the taste of the World Cup: Sébastien Migné, former assistant to Rigobert Song with Cameroon during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Under the leadership of Madame Monique André, the normalization committee is doing everything to support the national team, often « with limited means ».
In a country where crises follow one another, these efforts symbolize the resilience and faith of a people who refuse to give up.
And because in Haiti, football is much more than a sport—it is a symbol of unity and national dignity—a World Cup qualification would be a breath of fresh air, a collective smile for a people who need it so much.
Tonight, in Managua, it's not just a match that the Grenadiers will play.
It is a page of history they will try to write, for themselves, for their country, for all those who continue to hope despite the pain.
Because more than an objective, the World Cup is a nation's dream.
And today, more than ever…
Haiti believes!
Mardoché D’Août
The last time Haiti reached such a level of competition was several decades ago. In 1974, driven by the legendary Emmanuel Sanon, the Grenadiers wrote the most beautiful page in Haitian football history by qualifying for the World Cup in Germany. Since then, the country has seen generations of talent, but never such proximity to a new global dream.
Today, the doors of destiny are opening again.
The 2026 edition will mark a turning point in football history: for the first time, 48 teams will participate in the World Cup. In the CONCACAF zone, Mexico, the United States, and Canada are already automatically qualified as host nations. The remaining spots will be contested among the other nations in the region, and Haiti fully intends to join the celebration.
After two matches, Haiti stood firm against two major regional football nations: Honduras and Costa Rica.
Two draws, two points, and above all, a glimmer of hope after a solid performance against the Costa Ricans, an opponent long considered untouchable.
In Group C, Haiti currently holds third place, and everything is still to play for.
Tonight, at 8 PM (local time), the Grenadiers will face Nicaragua at the Estadio Nacional de Managua, for the third matchday.
A crucial, yet symbolic match: Haiti maintains an excellent record against the Nicaraguans, with 5 wins, 2 draws, and only one defeat in 8 confrontations.
The only blemish: that 3-0 defeat, precisely in Managua, in 2017. A bitter memory that the Grenadiers will want to erase tonight.
Haiti can count on an experienced team, strengthened by players who play in the biggest European leagues:
Jean-Ricner Bellegarde (Wolverhampton, English Premier League),
Hannes Delcroix (Burnley, England),
Carlesn Arcus and Josué Casimir (Ligue 1, France).
Around them, a united, talented, and ambitious group, guided by a coach who knows the taste of the World Cup: Sébastien Migné, former assistant to Rigobert Song with Cameroon during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Under the leadership of Madame Monique André, the normalization committee is doing everything to support the national team, often « with limited means ».
In a country where crises follow one another, these efforts symbolize the resilience and faith of a people who refuse to give up.
And because in Haiti, football is much more than a sport—it is a symbol of unity and national dignity—a World Cup qualification would be a breath of fresh air, a collective smile for a people who need it so much.
Tonight, in Managua, it's not just a match that the Grenadiers will play.
It is a page of history they will try to write, for themselves, for their country, for all those who continue to hope despite the pain.
Because more than an objective, the World Cup is a nation's dream.
And today, more than ever…
Haiti believes!
Mardoché D’Août
