Three matchdays remain in Haiti’s 2026 FIFA World Cup group stage campaign, and head coach Sébastien Migné is refusing to count his side out of a spot in the tournament’s knockout round, even after a narrow 1-0 opening defeat to Scotland on June 13.
Speaking to reporters just one day after the tough opening result, the French manager acknowledged the disappointment of falling short in their first outing, but stressed that Haiti’s World Cup dream is far from over.
“Of course we’re disappointed. But this tournament isn’t over for us, and we’re still in the fight,” Migné said. “From the very beginning of our preparation, we knew this would not be an easy group. We don’t have the depth or the global ranking that some of the other teams here boast, and we went into this campaign ready to fight for every chance we get.”
Migné broke down where his side fell flat against Scotland, noting that Haiti’s build-up play consistently broke into dangerous areas, with the side moving the ball effectively into the final 25 yards of the pitch. The issue, he explained, came in the final moments of attacking sequences: the Grenadiers lacked clinical spontaneity in front of goal, and made uncharacteristically poor decisions when chances opened up.
With the score sitting at 1-0 for the full 90 minutes, Migné told his side to prioritize controlled attacking pressure rather than throwing all players forward in a reckless chase for an equalizer— a decision rooted in the reality that final group stage placings can be decided by just a single goal of difference.
Under the 2026 World Cup format, the top two teams from each group advance directly to the knockout round, while the four best third-placed teams across all groups also qualify for the second round. That structure, Migné pointed out, leaves Haiti with a clear path forward: if the side can claim victory in just one of their three remaining group fixtures, they remain firmly in contention to advance.
Beyond the results, Migné reflected on the once-in-a-lifetime experience of competing on the world’s biggest football stage. “Above all else, what an incredible privilege it is to play in this kind of atmosphere,” he said. “It was truly fantastic. We won’t give up this fight, and we’ll be ready to compete again when we step onto the pitch for our next match.”