Port-au-Prince (EFE).- Hundreds of Haitians poured into the streets of the capital on Tuesday night to celebrate the national football team’s qualification for the 2026 World Cup, only the second in the country’s history, after a 2-0 win over Nicaragua in the final match of Group C.
Despite worsening violence and a near-total collapse of security in the metropolitan area, celebrations erupted across the capital.
Gunshots and cheers echoed across Port-au-Prince, where fans marked the long-awaited victory in a capital largely shrouded in darkness due to the state electricity company’s inability to supply power.
In Pétion-Ville, crowds ran through the streets, some barefoot, others shirtless, chanting “oe! oe! oe!” in a rare moment of joy.
“This win belongs to all Haitians who continue to stand despite everything,” said Jean-Michel Pierre, a 28-year-old fan celebrating in the hillside district.
Haiti, coached by French manager Sébastien Migné, returns to the World Cup for the first time since its 1974 debut in Germany, where it was eliminated in the first round.
Team forced abroad as gangs tighten grip
The national team has been unable to play at home due to rampant insecurity.
Since March 2024, armed groups from the Viv Ansanm coalition have controlled the Stade Sylvio Cator, the country’s main stadium, and roughly 90% of the metropolitan region.
Tuesday’s match was therefore held in Curaçao, one of several foreign venues Haiti has used over the past year.
Still, for many Haitians, the qualification offered a rare respite.
“This is another page of our history,” said Haitian Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, calling the achievement “a flame of hope, a seed of unity.”
Leaders praise ‘Moment of national pride’
Laurent Saint-Cyr, president of Haiti’s Transitional Presidential Council, issued “my warmest congratulations,” noting the symbolic timing: November 18, anniversary of the Battle of Vertières.
“The Grenadiers have given the Haitian people a moment of deep pride and national communion,” he said.
The team’s success, he added, “revives hope, inspires youth, strengthens cohesion and reminds us that together, everything is possible.”
In a statement, he said Haiti “remains standing, resilient and ready to write a new chapter.”
International partners also saluted the victory. The French Embassy said the Grenadiers had “once again written their name in football history,” while the United States Embassy praised an achievement that “reflects the dedication, resilience and talent of the team and the nation.” EFE
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