Haiti Reaches Its Second World Cup Amid Violence, Exile and U.S. Travel Ban

Haiti has qualified for the World Cup for only the second time in its history, and the first since West Germany 1974, even as the country remains gripped by crisis. The team, coached by Franzy Pierrot, is heading to the 2026 tournament after years in which Port-au-Prince has effectively been controlled by gangs and the national team could not play at home.

The article says gangs unified after the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse, who was killed by foreign mercenaries, and now dominate about 90 percent of the capital. The UN describes Haiti as a failed state, while a July 2025 report said more than 1.3 million people have been displaced and 85 percent of Port-au-Prince is under gang control. The national stadium, Sylvio Cator, was taken over in March 2024 and has been unusable since.

Because of the security breakdown, Haiti played its home matches in Curaçao, about 800 kilometers away. Canada, the United States and the Dominican Republic were considered as alternatives, but politics complicated the search, and the Dominican Republic barred entry to Haitian passport holders in 2024. Coach Sebastien Migna said, "It is like a closed door for Haiti everywhere." Haiti’s last official home match was in July 2021, when security fears had already been severe.

The squad features several notable veterans, including goalkeeper Johnny Placide, 38, and striker Duckens Nazon, who has 44 goals in 78 appearances. Defender Ricardo Adé, who began professional football at 26, captains the side, while Ruben Providence, a former France youth international, earned his first call-up in this qualifying campaign. Haiti also added the Polish flag to its official kit, a tribute to historic ties dating back to Polish soldiers who joined Haiti’s fight for independence. The World Cup appearance is presented as both a major sporting achievement and a rare source of national pride.