Haiti have reached the 2026 FIFA World Cup in one of the most unusual and inspiring ways imaginable.
Their head coach, Sebastien Migne, has guided them to the tournament without ever setting foot in Haiti since taking the job 18 months ago.
The Frenchman has been unable to visit the Caribbean nation because of the severe unrest that has gripped the country. Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, remains under the control of armed groups, and violence has displaced more than a million people. International travellers are warned to stay away because of kidnappings, crime and prolonged instability.
“It’s impossible because it’s too dangerous,” Migne explained when asked why he has not travelled to Haiti.
He added that he normally lives in the countries where he works, but Haiti has been a clear exception. “No more international flights are landing there,” he told France Football magazine.
Despite the distance, Migne has somehow managed to mould a competitive team. He relied heavily on officials within the Haitian football federation for updates on local players and handled most of his assessments from abroad. “They gave me information, and I managed the team remotely,” he said.
With the situation at home too volatile, Haiti have had to host their matches almost 500 miles away in Curaçao. The squad is now entirely foreign-based, including Wolves midfielder Jean-Ricner Bellegarde, who was born in France.
There is also hope that Sunderland striker Wilson Isidor, also France-born with Haitian roots, will commit to the national team ahead of next summer’s tournament.
Their 2-0 win over Nicaragua confirmed their place at the World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada. The achievement sends Haiti to the competition for the first time since 1974.
During Haiti’s previous World Cup appearance, they were knocked out in the group stage after facing Italy, Poland and Argentina.
Sources reports that Panama and Curaçao also booked their tickets from the Concacaf region, with the latter qualifying for the first time in their history.
