In a moving display of national pride and unity, Haiti officially welcomed three of its star World Cup Grenadiers back to home soil Sunday, July 5, with an official greeting organized at Cap-Haïtien International Airport. Acting on instructions from Prime Minister Fils-Aimé, a high-level inter-ministerial delegation traveled to the northern airport to extend a warm, official welcome to national players Duckens Nazon, Martin Expérience, and Josué Duverger, who helped represent Haiti on the 2026 FIFA World Cup global stage.
The welcoming delegation included senior government and local officials: Tourism Minister Stéphanie Smith, Tourism Ministry Director General Sinedie Saintil Dupuy, Youth and Sports Ministry Chief of Staff Innocent Joseph, Minister of Youth, Sports and Civic Action (MJSAC) Pythagore Dumas, Cap-Haïtien Mayor Michel St. Croix, Cap-Haïtien District Deputy Delegate Rulz Angrand, and Haitian National Police Departmental Director Divisional Commissioner Ernst Bouquet Dorfeuille. Youth Ambassador and prominent influencer Ariana Milagro Lafond also joined the event to show public support for the returning athletes.
All attendees gathered to share gratitude and public support for the three players, turning the airport arrival into a landmark moment of shared patriotic unity for the Caribbean nation. Speaking on behalf of MJSAC, Minister Pythagore Dumas emphasized that the Haitian state owes deep thanks to the athletes, who carried the nation’s flag with honor and distinction throughout the 2026 World Cup tournament. Dumas reaffirmed that the Grenadiers serve as critical role models for young Haitians across the country, adding that their standout performances on the global pitch have strengthened the ministry’s commitment to expanding youth sports development and nurturing emerging homegrown athletic talent.
In her official remarks to the crowd and the players, Tourism Minister Stéphanie Smith called on all Haitian citizens to follow the Grenadiers’ example, urging “all the sons and daughters of the Nation to become Ambassadors of our heritage, builders of trust, and agents of territorial recovery.” Smith extended warm personal thanks to the three players on behalf of Prime Minister Fils-Aimé and the entire Haitian government, before presenting the athletes with commemorative plaques honoring their historic World Cup appearances.