When Haiti kicked off their qualifying campaign for the 2026 World Cup, fewer than 100 people were watching. The "home" match against St Lucia took place in Barbados, nearly 1,000 miles from Port-au-Prince, drawing just 88 spectators. Haiti came from behind to win 2-1, with little indication of the remarkable journey ahead.

This summer, the Grenadiers will make history by becoming the first Caribbean nation to appear at the World Cup for a second time. Their opponents in the group stage will be Scotland, and up to 65,000 fans could be in the stadium when the two sides meet — a staggering contrast to those 88 souls in Barbados.

A nation shaped by tragedy

Haiti, with a population of 11.4 million, is the most populous country in the Caribbean and was formerly a French territory. They first reached the World Cup in 1974, where they memorably took the lead against Italy — ending Dino Zoff's world-record run of 1,142 minutes without conceding — before losing 3-1. They were then beaten 7-0 by Poland and 4-1 by Argentina.

The decades that followed were brutal. A historically impoverished country, Haiti has endured seven attempted coups — four of them successful — and a devastating 2010 earthquake that killed up to 300,000 people and left more than 1.5 million homeless. The Stade Sylvio Cator, the national team's home ground, was transformed into a relief site, with displaced residents sheltering in tents across the pitch. Lionel Messi visited in his capacity as a UNICEF ambassador to offer solidarity.

Exiled from their own stadium

Haiti reached the penultimate qualifying round for the 2022 World Cup, but Canada's victory in Port-au-Prince in June 2021 turned out to be the last international match played on Haitian soil. Weeks later, president Jovenel Moïse was assassinated, plunging the country back into chaos.

Since then, Haiti has had no permanent head of state. Violent gangs now control an estimated 85 percent of the capital, including the Stade Sylvio Cator. At least 1.3 million people have been displaced internally, and the United States has halted all flights to the country after aircraft were struck by gunfire.

With the Dominican Republic subsequently banning Haitian nationals from entry, and the US suspending visas for Haitian citizens, the national team has been forced to roam. They opened 2026 qualifying in Barbados, suffered a 5-1 defeat to Curacao in a nominal "home" fixture held in Aruba, and then played their decisive group games in Willemstad, the capital of Curacao. Drawn alongside World Cup regulars Costa Rica and Honduras, Haiti surpassed expectations — winning back-to-back matches against Costa Rica and Nicaragua in front of just 1,500 supporters to seal their place in the tournament.

A coach who has never set foot in the country

French manager Sebastien Migne, who took charge in 2024, has never visited Haiti. "It's impossible — it's too dangerous," he said. As a teenager, Migne spent time with Boreham Wood and Leyton Orient in England. Today, he relies on information from the federation to monitor players based inside the country.

The squad itself reflects Haiti's diaspora. Half the players grew up in Haiti but now compete abroad, while others were born in France, the United States, and Canada. Among them is Don Deedson Louicius, whose goal set Haiti on course for their decisive win over Nicaragua. Louicius was just 8 years old when the 2010 earthquake struck Port-au-Prince, surviving one of the worst natural disasters in the western hemisphere.

From 88 spectators in Barbados to a World Cup stage — Haiti's path to the 2026 tournament is a testament to a people who have endured unimaginable hardship and refused to stop believing.