Haiti and Honduras Kick Off World Cup Qualifying in Curaçao Amid Safety Concerns

Haiti and Honduras will begin their Concacaf World Cup qualifying matches on Friday in a unique setting. Due to ongoing political and social issues in Haiti, the match will take place at Ergilio Hato Stadium in Willemstad, Curaçao, as reported by EFE.

Group C includes Costa Rica and Nicaragua as well, with only the group winner securing a spot in the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. The second-place team will enter an intercontinental playoff.

Honduras, coached by Colombian Reinaldo Rueda, features important players like Anthony “Choco” Lozano from Santos Laguna in Mexico and Luis Palma from Lech Poznan in Poland. Midfielder Edwin Rodríguez expressed optimism before the team’s arrival: “This qualifying campaign begins with a lot of dreams and a lot of desire from us.”

Haiti, managed by French coach Sébastien Migné, includes players like striker Frantzdy Pierrot from AEK Athens and Martin Expérience from Nancy, both with European experience. Despite not playing at home, the Haitians aim to stay strong in their quest for a World Cup spot.

Kicking off at 8 p.m. local time, Canadian referee Pierre-Luc Lauziere will officiate the game. After the match, Honduras will head back to Tegucigalpa to get ready for Tuesday’s game against Nicaragua, while Haiti seeks to qualify for the World Cup for the first time in over 50 years.