Against All Odds: Haiti Qualifies for 2026 World Cup Without a Home Match

Against All Odds: Haiti Qualifies for 2026 World Cup Without a Home Match

Despite intense gang violence that has crippled the nation since the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse, Haiti’s men’s football team secured a place at the World Cup for the second time ever, all without playing a single qualifier on home soil.

Haiti’s journey to World Cup qualification has unfolded amid severe social unrest and escalating violence in Port-au-Prince, where roughly 85% of the capital has been reported under gang control since 2021.

The national stadium was overtaken by gangs in March 2024, forcing the team to play every qualifier abroad—the first time a country has done so in FIFA World Cup history.

The national side persevered without playing a home match since July 2021, overcoming displacement and danger to clinch Group C of the CONCACAF qualifiers.

This remarkable achievement is Haiti’s second ever World Cup appearance and a testament to the resilience of players and coaching staff who refused to be defeated by circumstances at home.

Their success has brought hope and pride back to a nation enduring one of its darkest chapters.