The football team Haiti qualified for the 2026 World Cup by beating this Tuesday, in Curacao, that of Nicaragua 2-0 on the last day of Group C of the qualifying rounds of the Concacaf. The impoverished Haiti, led by Frenchman Sébastien Migné, will play in the World Cup for the second time in its history after its only participation, in Germany 1974, in which it was eliminated in the first round.
Louicius Deedson, in the 9th minute, and Ruben Providence, in the 45th minute, were the authors of the goals with which the Caribbean team secured its place for the 2026 World Cup to be played in Canada, the United States and Mexico next summer.
Haiti, which has been mired in a severe crisis for years, achieved its historic classification just when the country celebrates the 222nd anniversary of the Battle of Vertières, which defined the independence of the island of France, for which the game was called a “decisive battle” by the Haitian Football Federation (FHF).
The Haitians won Group C with 11 points, above the favorites Honduras (9) and Costa Rica (7), who tied in the other duel. Nicaragua, with 4 integers, was last. Haiti secured its first place by winning with authority in Curacao against Nicaragua (2-0) with goals from Deedson and Providence. The Nicaraguan team, led by Chilean Marco Antonio the ‘Phantom’ Figueroa, fell short of their World Cup dreams.
Carlos Chavarría (Nicaragua) disputes the ball with Duckens Nazon
With its return to the elite of world football, Haiti successfully crowned an atypical campaign in which it did not play in its country. The match was played at the Ergilio Sato stadium, in Curacao, where the Haitian team was the home team due to the impossibility of using their field due to the social crisis that Haiti is going through.
TECHNICAL SHEET
1 – Haiti: Johnny Placide; Carlens Arcus (Stéphane Lambese, d.84), Ricardo Ade, Hannes Delcroix, Markhus Lacroix; Jean Bellegarde, Leverton Pierre, Ruben Providence (Carl Sainté, d.84), Louicius Deedson (Martin Expérience, d.63); Frantzdy Pierrot (Duckens Nazon, m.32) and Josue Casimir. Coach: Sébastien Migné (FRA).
0 – Nicaragua: Alyer López; Josué Quijano, Justing Cano, Henry Niño (Jason Coronel, m.46), Óscar Acevedo; Cristhian Reyes, Junior Arteaga (Wildman Talavera, m.70), Ariel Aráuz (Byron Bonilla, m.46), Bancy Hernández; Juan Barrera (Jonathan Moncada, m.57) and Jaime Moreno. Coach: Marco Antonio Figueroa (CHI).
Goals: 1-0, Louicius Deedson (m. 9); 2-0, Ruben Providence (m. 45+1)
Referee: Guatemalan Mario Alberto Escobar Toca. He admonished the Haitians Hannes Delcroix, Carlens Arcus, Stéphane Lambese, and Duckens Nazon, and the Nicaraguans Henry Niño, Wildman Talavera and Criisthian Reyes.
Incidents: match played at the Ergilio Sato stadium, in Curacao, corresponding to the sixth and final day of Group C of the last phase of the Concacaf qualifying round for the 2026 World Cup.
Since February 2024, the country’s main football stadium, the Stade Sylvio Cator, has been abandoned and under the rule of armed gangs, who control at least 90% of the metropolitan region of Port-au-Prince. Soccer, the king of Haitian sports, is one of the few activities that unites the entire population despite differences.
