Haiti qualifies for the World Cup for the first time in 51 years

The World Cup drought for Haiti’s national soccer team ended Tuesday night. The team qualified for the 2026 soccer tournament after defeating Nicaragua 2-0. Haiti finished top of their group in the Concacaf qualifiers. Haiti’s only previous trip to the World Cup was in West Germany in 1974. Celebrations erupted among Haitian players on the field and in the streets of Port-Au-Prince once the referee confirmed Haiti’s victory. Because of the ongoing turmoil, the team’s 52-year-old coach has been unable to set foot in the nation, despite being appointed 18 months ago. The historic moment on the soccer field happened on the anniversary of one of the island nation’s pivotal battles in 1803 that secured the Black republic’s independence.