When Football Helps Pacify a War-Torn Country
2002 and 2007, Côte d'Ivoire was torn apart by a civil war opposing the South, controlled by the government, to the North, held by rebel forces. The country was fractured, consumed by ethnic and political tensions.
By Josué Senat · Port-au-Prince
· 2 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
Between 2002 and 2007, Côte d'Ivoire was torn apart by a civil war opposing the South, controlled by the government, to the North, held by rebel forces. The country was fractured, consumed by ethnic and political tensions.
On October 8, 2005, Côte d'Ivoire qualified for the first time in its history for the 2006 World Cup. This victory occurred in a context of extreme tension. Immediately after qualifying, Didier Drogba and his teammates improvised a message broadcast on national television. In a hotel room in Sudan, they knelt and said:
« Men and women of Côte d'Ivoire… stop shooting your weapons! Lay down your arms! We want to celebrate the qualification all together! »
The players then requested that the national team's next match be played in Bouaké, the symbolic capital of the rebellion. In 2007, this historic match took place there: rebels and soldiers side by side in the stands. A few months later, a political agreement was signed in Ouagadougou between Laurent Gbagbo and Guillaume Soro.
Today, Haiti in turn faces one of the darkest periods in its contemporary history. Armed gangs control entire neighborhoods, families are uprooted, communities live under terror, and the nation struggles to breathe.
And yet, in the heart of this night, a light ignites. The Grenadiers have just achieved a feat: qualifying Haiti for its second World Cup, without having played a single home match. Stade Sylvio Cator is under the control of armed groups, forcing the team to host its matches in Curaçao. Following this historic qualification, the second captain, Ricardo Adé, addressed a vibrant message to the armed men:
open the country (ouvri peyi a) to allow the Grenadiers to celebrate with the population in Port-au-Prince.
Like Drogba in 2005, he calls for a moment of truce. The national team has not set foot on the pitch of Stade Sylvio Cator for years, but it has never ceased to be supported by the Haitian people. And when the situation allows, the Grenadiers will be awaited in Port-au-Prince for a celebration worthy of this achievement. Grenadye alaso! Nou retounen!
Haiti in the 2026 World Cup.
And yet, in the heart of this night, a light ignites. The Grenadiers have just achieved a feat: qualifying Haiti for its second World Cup, without having played a single home match. Stade Sylvio Cator is under the control of armed groups, forcing the team to host its matches in Curaçao. Following this historic qualification, the second captain, Ricardo Adé, addressed a vibrant message to the armed men:
open the country (ouvri peyi a) to allow the Grenadiers to celebrate with the population in Port-au-Prince.
Like Drogba in 2005, he calls for a moment of truce. The national team has not set foot on the pitch of Stade Sylvio Cator for years, but it has never ceased to be supported by the Haitian people. And when the situation allows, the Grenadiers will be awaited in Port-au-Prince for a celebration worthy of this achievement. Grenadye alaso! Nou retounen!
Haiti in the 2026 World Cup.