Once Upon a World Cup: Haiti Returns

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In this episode of Soccer Bedtime Stories, we tell the powerful story of Haiti’s road back to the men’s FIFA World Cup for the first time since 1974.

After fifty-two years away from the men’s World Cup stage, Haiti’s national team, known as Les Grenadiers, completed an unforgettable journey to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. From the historic memory of Emmanuel “Manno” Sanon’s goal against Italy in 1974, to the modern team led by captain Johny Placide and coach Sébastien Migné, this story follows Haiti through heartbreak, resilience, and hope.

Haiti’s path was not easy. With home matches played away from Port-au-Prince because of instability in the country, the Grenadiers had to carry their dream far from home. But wins over Costa Rica and Nicaragua helped Haiti secure its long-awaited return to the men’s World Cup.

Now drawn into Group C with Scotland, Brazil, and Morocco, Haiti steps back onto soccer’s biggest stage with history on its shoulders and a nation behind it.

This bedtime soccer story is about more than scores and qualifying tables. It is about memory, identity, the Haitian diaspora, and the meaning of returning after 52 years.

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