Former Harambee Stars head coach leads Haiti to 2026 FIFA World Cup after 52-year wait
Reading Time: 2min | Wed. 19.11.25. | 14:21
In 2019, he guided Kenya to the Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt, ending a 15-year wait for qualification
Former Harambee Stars head coach Sebastien Migne has made history by leading the Haiti national football team to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, marking only the second time the Caribbean country will appear on football’s biggest stage.
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Appointed as Haiti’s head coach in March 2024, Migne has never been able to set foot in the country due to the ongoing conflict that has forced the team to play their “home” matches 500 miles away in Curaçao, which has also become the smallest nation ever to qualify for a FIFA World Cup.
Haiti secured their spot in next summer’s tournament in the United States, Mexico, and Canada after defeating Nicaragua. They topped Group I with 11 points from six matches, finishing two points ahead of second-placed Honduras.
Joining them in the CONCACAF qualifiers are Panama, who beat El Salvador 3-0, and World Cup debutant Curacao, following a barren draw with Jamaica.
In Haiti’s only previous World Cup appearance in 1974, they were eliminated in the first round after losses to Italy, Poland, and Argentina.
Since his appointment, Migne had hoped to visit Haiti, but said the situation remains too dangerous. Armed gangs have taken control in parts of the country, and Kenyan police are among those assisting in peacekeeping efforts.
"It’s impossible because it’s too dangerous," Migne told France Football Magazine. "I usually live in the countries where I work, but I can’t here. There are no more international flights landing in Haiti."
The French coach, who was Cameroon’s assistant at the last World Cup, revealed that he has relied entirely on phone communications with Haitian Football Federation officials to monitor and assess local talent. "They gave me information, and I managed the team remotely," he said.
This achievement adds another historic chapter to Migne’s coaching career. In 2019, he guided Kenya to the Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt, ending a 15-year wait for qualification.
The Harambee Stars were eliminated in the group stage after losses to Algeria and Senegal, who went on to play in the final, but Kenya managed to secure a win over Tanzania.
However, a loss to Tanzania in the 2020 CHAN qualifiers led to his dismissal weeks after the AFCON tournament. Since his departure, Kenya has failed to qualify for three consecutive AFCON tournaments.
