Carib Scope

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  • Pride head coach believes new players deserve inclusion

    Pride head coach believes new players deserve inclusion

    Following a demoralizing 140-run defeat to Trinidad and Tobago Red Force in the West Indies Championship playoff at Antigua’s Coolidge Cricket Ground this Wednesday, Barbados Pride head coach Vasbert Drakes has made a clear push for generational change in the regional cricket side, arguing that talented young prospects deserve their chance to compete at the highest domestic level.

    While Drakes acknowledged that the team’s overall 4-day tournament campaign delivered several positive highlights that deserve praise — including standout individual performances from batter Kevin Wickham, who racked up 393 runs to finish as the competition’s second-highest run-scorer, and bowler Joshua Bishop, whose 16 wickets put him in a tie for third place in the tournament wicket-taking charts — he says he is now actively evaluating fringe domestic players for potential call-ups.

    The push for youth inclusion comes at a timely moment: two promising young Barbadian batters, Rivaldo Clarke and Amari Goodridge, notched their maiden first-class centuries on the very same Wednesday the playoff concluded, during a warm-up fixture against Guyana Harpy Eagles while representing the Barbados High Performance Center.

    Speaking to reporters Thursday at Grantley Adams International Airport shortly after the team returned home from Antigua, Drakes hinted at significant roster adjustments ahead of the next competition, even as he praised the core squad’s efforts through the main tournament. “I was happy with what the team exhibited across the competition, but we have these young Barbadian players who scored hundreds for the High Performance Center, and that is absolutely something we have to take seriously,” Drakes explained. “Once our top senior players are available for the next cycle, we still have to make sure these prospects are part of the setup moving forward.”

    Drakes added that senior players in the current squad have already accepted the need for a deliberate transition plan, noting that candid conversations about the team’s current state and the long-term best interests of Barbados cricket are already underway. “Even the senior lads understand we have to find a path forward for the next generation, so we’re going to have those hard talks about where we stand and what we need to do,” he said.

    Breaking down the team’s poor showing in the playoff against Trinidad and Tobago, Drakes pointed to the opposition’s first innings total as a decisive turning point in the match. Despite acknowledging that the team entered the fixture well-prepared for both the conditions and Trinidad’s batting lineup, he admitted the side failed to execute its game plan when it mattered most. “We were playing catch-up from early on, but even with that, the pitch was pretty flat, I think Trinidad ended up with around 30 more runs than they should have in that first dig,” Drakes said.

    He reflected on a near-miss that could have flipped the game’s momentum: Bishop’s outstanding unbeaten knock of 99. If just one more batter had matched that level of contribution, Drakes argued, the side would have gained the control it needed to compete for the win. He added that while Trinidad benefited from familiarity with the Antigua conditions after playing their full tournament on the island, that was no excuse for Barbados’ collective underperformance with the bat. “We had scored heavily in Jamaica earlier, so we knew we could perform here. There’s no question we should have put up a bigger total as a group,” he said.

    When asked about persistent concerns over a lack of intimidating pace in the Barbados bowling attack, Drakes agreed that the gap is a critical issue that requires urgent attention. He pointed to a telling moment in the match: Trinidad’s number 11 batter, fast bowler Jayden Seales, batted for 15 full overs to shore up the innings with no significant pressure from the Barbados attack. “You want your fast bowlers to be able to put a little fear into the tail-end batters, and that makes all the difference in a tight game. Unfortunately, we just didn’t have that cutting edge this match,” Drakes said. “It’s an area we definitely need to invest time and resources into filling moving forward.”

  • St Michael School to benefit from new cricket facility

    St Michael School to benefit from new cricket facility

    Barbados now boasts a brand-new cricket development hub, after the Noel Gittens and Ezra Moseley Cricket Development Facility was formally opened at St Michael School on Martindale’s Road this week. The new center, which features dedicated professional-grade cricket nets, was delivered through a collaborative partnership between the school and the Barbados Public Workers Cooperative Credit Union’s Legacy Foundation, which provided key funding and support for the project.

    The facility carries the names of two icons who left indelible marks on both the school and Barbadian cricket at large: Noel Gittens, a former deputy principal and long-time cricket coach at St Michael School, who joined Principal Tanya Harding to cut the ribbon on the new space, and the late Ezra Moseley, a former fast bowler for Barbados and the West Indies who also served as a coach at the institution.

    Speaking at the opening ceremony, Principal Harding framed the new facility as a timely, transformative addition to the school, noting that physical education holds a core place in the national education curriculum for its far-reaching benefits. Beyond building physical fitness and supporting mental well-being, regular physical activity in youth helps reduce the risk of chronic non-communicable diseases that impact quality of life in adulthood, she explained.

    Harding added that St Michael School has prioritized student participation in extracurricular programs for decades, with 27 distinct after-school activities currently on offer, nine of which focus on sports. But for years, the school has struggled to accommodate its growing student body and diverse athletic programs due to severe space constraints. The campus currently only has one hard court, one tennis court, and a small playing field that was further reduced in size when prefabricated buildings were added to expand capacity for sixth-form students. At their lowest point, the school’s cricket team was forced to travel off-campus once a week to practice at the Ursuline Convent’s nets, Harding revealed.

    Winslow Straker, representing the St Michael School Alumni Association, which spearheaded the initiative alongside the credit union, emphasized that the new facility is far more than a set of practice nets—it is a strategic investment in Barbados’ young people, local communities, and the future of national cricket. The facility’s dual practice wickets, he said, stand as a tangible symbol of opportunity, a dedicated space where emerging young cricketers can hone their technical skills, build personal discipline, grow their self-confidence, and nurture a lifelong passion for the sport.

    Straker noted that naming the center for Gittens and Moseley is a fitting tribute to the pair’s decades of dedicated service to the school and regional cricket. Their legacies of commitment will now inspire every generation of young players that trains at the facility, motivating them to pursue their dreams of representing their school, club, and country with national pride, he added.

    Reflecting on the cross-sector collaboration that made the project possible, Straker emphasized that a true legacy is not just about honoring the contributions of past leaders, but about building accessible pathways for the next generation to thrive. Partnerships between educational institutions, alumni groups, and local corporate foundations, he argued, demonstrate what can be accomplished when organizations align around a shared vision of youth and community development. He closed by extending the alumni association’s sincere gratitude to the Legacy Foundation for its generous financial donation and collaborative partnership, noting that the organization’s commitment to youth cricket and community uplift has made a lasting difference for St Michael School, with hopes for continued partnership in future impact projects.

  • Gonsalves wants CARICOM to help West Indies cricket

    Gonsalves wants CARICOM to help West Indies cricket

    West Indies cricket, once a powerhouse of the global game that dominated international competition for decades, finds itself mired in a deepening crisis that threatens its long-term survival, according to former St. Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves. In a candid interview with the Jamaica Observer, the 24-year incumbent leader, who stepped down after last November’s general election, has issued a urgent call for Caribbean regional governments to claim a formal, integrated seat at the decision-making table to reverse the sport’s steady decline.

    Worsening on-field performance and crippling financial instability have combined to paint a grim picture for West Indies cricket in recent years. While fan and stakeholder anxiety over the sport’s trajectory has simmered for decades, public and institutional scrutiny spiked dramatically over the last 12 months following a humiliating Test series defeat to Australia last summer. The low point of that series came at Kingston’s Sabina Park, where the entire West Indies batting line-up was bowled out for just 27 runs — a result that sent shockwaves through the global cricket community. Current International Cricket Council (ICC) rankings reflect the depth of the on-field slump: the regional men’s side sits 8th in Test cricket, 10th in One-Day Internationals, and 7th in Twenty20 Internationals, placing it firmly in the bottom half of all ranked ICC member nations.

    Off the field, the financial outlook is equally troubling. Cricket West Indies (CWI), the sport’s regional governing body, projects it will post a $26 million USD loss in the current year, though it has outlined a long-term forecast that predicts a return to profitability by 2027. Gonsalves argues that CWI’s current governing structure — which excludes formal government input — is ill-equipped to tackle these overlapping crises. He insists that closer collaboration between CWI and regional governments is the only path to meaningful reform, noting that governments are unwilling to commit public funding to the sport without receiving proportional decision-making power in return.

    “The governments have to get involved but the governments are not going to get involved seriously if Cricket West Indies continues to think that governments will pour money into Cricket West Indies without them having a say,” Gonsalves told the Jamaica Observer. Though the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) maintains a cricket subcommittee, once chaired by Gonsalves himself, the regional body holds no formal governing authority within CWI. ICC rules currently prohibit direct government interference in the administration of member organizations, but Gonsalves argues that the historic and cultural importance of cricket to the Caribbean demands an exception to this regulation.

    He pointed to precedents in other major cricket nations to back his argument, noting that the Indian Supreme Court has already ruled that cricket is a public good that cannot be managed exclusively by private entities. “I’m sure if it comes to our courts that they will rule similarly because it makes perfect sense,” Gonsalves said. “The law is right reason and right reason indicates that you can’t have a public good of this type being run by a private entity and certainly you can’t expect the parliaments to vote money to put it inside the organisation. I’ve thought long and hard about this thing and I dare anybody to tell me that my conclusions are not correct.”

    Gonsalves’ proposed path forward calls for regional leaders to collectively approach the ICC with a formal diplomatic demarche, laying out the severity of the crisis and requesting approval for expanded government involvement in restructuring and managing West Indies cricket. “If this matter is discussed within the context of the region and governments decide this is the way we’re going to do it and we want to play a part in the management of it and to restructure it, we have to make a demarche to the ICC and say this thing cannot continue like this, because if it continues like this, it would fold,” he explained. “So I don’t think it’s a question of trust, it’s whether we as governments in the region decide whether we’re going to be involved in this matter, and in order to comply with the perspectives of the ICC, where are the tolerable limits for the state’s involvement because we are in a crisis.”

    The West Indies men’s team is set to return to international competition next month, hosting Sri Lanka for three ODIs and three T20Is at Sabina Park, the same ground that hosted the devastating 27 all-out collapse against Australia last year. The upcoming series will put the team’s current form under the microscope once again, as calls for structural reform continue to grow across the region.

  • Grenada to compete in Roger Boyce Classic Semi Pro and IFBB Pro World Cup

    Grenada to compete in Roger Boyce Classic Semi Pro and IFBB Pro World Cup

    The Grenada Bodybuilding, Weightlifting and Fitness Federation (GBBWF) has formally named and deployed an eight-athlete contingent to Barbados for two of the Caribbean region’s most anticipated elite bodybuilding competitions: the Roger Boyce Classic Semi Pro and the IFBB Pro World Cup, scheduled to run from May 14 to 16, 2026.

    Departing their home island with high ambitions and months of focused training behind them, the team brings Grenada’s top competitive bodybuilding talent to an international stage where they will face off against the top athletes from across the Caribbean. The delegation is led by GBBWF President Cecil Mitchell and IFBB-certified professional coach Vonne Francis, who will guide the mixed lineup of elite professional and amateur-semi professional competitors across two event divisions: Men’s Physique and open Bodybuilding.

    In the Elite Pros Men’s Physique category, Grenada will be represented by three seasoned athletes: Odel Cato, Grantley Charles, and Renaldo Parkes. The Amateur/Semi Pro division features four Men’s Physique competitors — Javon Joseph, Shonric Felix, Rashid Bridgeman, and Daniel Louison — alongside Kevon Frederick, who will compete for honors in open Bodybuilding.

    The 2026 outing comes on the heels of a breakout 2025 competitive season for Grenada’s bodyboarding program, which delivered a string of standout results that cemented the nation’s growing status as a dominant regional force in the sport. Last year, Grenadian athletes secured multiple top-three finishes at major regional events, earned two coveted IFBB Pro Cards and two additional SemiPro cards — results that turned heads across the international bodybuilding community and raised expectations for this year’s delegation.

    GBBWF officials have voiced full confidence in the team’s preparation for the Barbados competitions, and extended formal appreciation to individual supporters, corporate sponsors, and the Grenadian public for their ongoing backing of the nation’s bodybuilding program. Ahead of the team’s departure, the federation issued a statement wishing all athletes safe travel and strong performances as they represent Grenada on the regional competitive stage.

    This report from NOW Grenada carries a standard content disclaimer: the outlet is not liable for personal opinions, statements, or third-party contributor content, and invites users to report any violating content via official platform channels.

  • Wray, Pottinger register wins at ACC outdoors

    Wray, Pottinger register wins at ACC outdoors

    LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The second day of the 2024 Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Outdoor Track and Field Championships delivered standout performances from two Jamaican competitors, who claimed gold medals while hitting new career milestones on the track and field circuit. Florida State University’s Despiro Wray emerged as the surprise star of the men’s shot put competition, unleashing a personal-best throw of 18.63 meters to secure the top spot on the podium. This mark not only shaved 38 centimeters off Wray’s previous personal best set this past March but also ranks as the sixth-best shot put performance in Florida State University’s (FSU) athletics history. Wray’s win marks the first ACC men’s shot put title for FSU since 2018, with his Jamaican compatriot and teammate Shamar Reid also notching a strong fifth-place finish with a throw of 18.12 meters.

    In the men’s high jump, another Jamaican athlete Brandon Pottinger followed up Wray’s win with another ACC title, matching his own career-best clearance of 2.15 meters to claim gold. The performance marked a major improvement for Pottinger, who took home second place at the ACC Indoor Championships earlier this year.

    Other Jamaican competitors turned in impressive results across the ACC championship bracket. Clemson University’s Shantae Foreman landed a wind-assisted leap of 6.59 meters (with a tailwind of 2.1 meters per second) to take second place in the women’s long jump, while teammate Kimeka Smith hit a new personal best of 16.91 meters in the women’s shot put to claim fourth place. Smith’s throw broke her previous career best of 16.54 meters and elevated her to the second spot on Clemson’s all-time women’s shot put performance rankings.

    The wave of strong Jamaican performances extended to other major collegiate conference championships unfolding across the United States on the same day. At the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Outdoor Championships hosted by Auburn University in Alabama, Louisiana State University’s Jordan Turner jumped 7.91 meters (with a 0.4 meters per second wind) to take second place in the men’s long jump, while the University of Texas’ Shaiquan Dunn finished eighth in the men’s shot put with an 18.34-meter throw.

    Over at the American Athletic Conference Outdoor Championships hosted by the University of North Texas, University of Memphis athlete Jazmyn James delivered a personal best throw of 16.54 meters to claim the women’s shot put conference title. East Carolina University’s Shakiel Dacres also notched a new career best of 17.34 meters to finish fourth in the men’s shot put, while North Texas’ own Fabrienne Foster placed eighth in the women’s hammer throw with a 54.81-meter effort. At the Big East Conference Championships hosted by the University of Connecticut, St. John’s University’s Juliet Smith claimed third place in the women’s shot put with a 13.56-meter throw.

  • BIG MAN TIME

    BIG MAN TIME

    Against all pre-playoff predictions that wrote them off as title contenders, two-time defending Jamaica Premier League (JPL) champions Cavalier FC have pulled off one of the most dramatic comebacks in this season’s knockout competition, securing their spot in Sunday’s semi-final showdown with Montego Bay United after a 2-0 second-leg quarter-final victory over Waterhouse at Kingston’s National Stadium on May 13. The win sealed a 4-2 aggregate triumph for Cavalier, capping a stunning reversal after the club fell 0-2 behind in the first leg of the tie.

    Goals from Dwayne Allen in the 29th minute and club talisman Christopher Ainsworth 50 minutes later locked in the result for Cavalier, who scored four unanswered goals across both legs to turn the tide of the series. What makes the comeback even more remarkable is the long-standing drought Cavalier had against Wednesday’s opponent: the club had not beaten Waterhouse in their previous six meetings, but assistant coach David Laylor revealed the entire squad never doubted the seventh meeting would deliver a different outcome.

    “Everyone from the players to the coaching staff believed we were at least two goals stronger than them,” Laylor explained post-match. “They went up 2-0 in the first leg, and we still pulled two back. Once we kept a clean sheet, we knew we had what it took to get the winning goals. That was always the game plan.”

    Cavalier’s road to the semi-finals has been far from smooth. The club entered a rebuilding phase this year after losing several key stars from their back-to-back title runs, including Reggae Boyz internationals Richard King, Dwayne “Busy” Atkinson and Jalmaro Calvin. The transition showed in early results: the club failed to defend its Concacaf Caribbean Cup crown and spent much of the regular season mired in mid-table, dropping as low as eighth at one point. Even their final fifth-place finish – secured after a late surge that earned 16 points from a possible 21 in their final five matches – marked their lowest league standing in four years.

    While heavyweights Mount Pleasant Football Academy and semi-final opponents Montego Bay United have drawn most of the media praise and fan support this season, Laylor said outsiders have made a mistake counting out the two-time reigning champions. “I don’t understand why anyone would doubt this club,” he said. “We are the defending champions, we won it two years running. When we get to the playoffs, we raise our game to a whole different level, a whole different intensity. We didn’t come this far just to make up the numbers – we’re here to win.”

    A victory on Sunday would send Cavalier to the final, and put the club within touching distance of its fourth JPL title in five seasons. For Waterhouse, by contrast, the result extends a 20-year wait for a league title that shows no sign of ending.

    The 2026 season has already brought major off-pitch change for Cavalier: Argentine manager Javier Ainstein replaced long-serving head coach Marcel Gayle in January, with Gayle shifting to a role as an assistant coach on the bench. Tasked with guiding the rebuilding squad back to the top of Jamaican football, Ainstein remains uncertain whether he will stay at the club beyond the current season. “Maybe,” he said of a contract extension. “In football, you always have to stay cautious. I have a contract in place, but you never know what the future holds.”

    For Waterhouse midfielder Omani Leacock, the collapse against Cavalier – after a promising 2-0 first-leg lead – highlights key lessons the club must absorb to compete for honours in future campaigns. “Honestly, we didn’t play the football we’re used to playing,” Leacock said. “We struggled all night, and I think it comes down to experience at this high level. A lot of our lads aren’t used to these knockout pressure matches. I think we can learn from this, come back stronger next year, and stay true to our style no matter what the atmosphere or the crowd throws at us.”

  • US team ‘devastated’ by lack of home support, says World Cup doc maker

    US team ‘devastated’ by lack of home support, says World Cup doc maker

    LOS ANGELES – When a national soccer team hosts a major international tournament, the roar of a home crowd is widely seen as one of the most valuable competitive advantages a squad can have. For the United States Men’s National Team, however, this dynamic has flipped into a persistent, demoralizing challenge – one that is weighing heavily on the group as they prepare to serve as co-hosts for this summer’s World Cup.

  • Dream Catcher untouchable in Portmore Stakes romp

    Dream Catcher untouchable in Portmore Stakes romp

    On Sunday, May 10, 2026, Caymanas Park played host to the Portmore Stakes, the last major prep race for the coming season’s coveted Classic events, and bay filly Dream Catcher turned the 7½-furlong (1,500-meter) contest into a one-horse showcase. Trained by leading conditioner Jason DaCosta and ridden with tactical patience by jockey Tevin Foster, Dream Catcher crossed the finish line an dominant 8¼ lengths clear of the field, stopping the timer at 1:34.3 with consistent intermediate splits of 23.0, 46.0, 1:13.4, and 1:27.1.

    The Jamaica Observer’s Supreme Racing Guide broke down the top-finishing fillies and their prospects for the upcoming 1000 Guineas, highlighting just how comprehensive Dream Catcher’s victory was. Sitting off the early leaders through the first three-quarters of the race, Dream Catcher entered the home stretch in fourth position before unleashing a devastating late acceleration that swept past her rivals as if they were stationary. The performance was an almost exact repeat of her earlier dominant win in the Thornbird Stakes, leaving no question that she is the undisputed top runner in her three-year-old filly division. With back-to-back stakes victories over the same crop, Dream Catcher enters the 1000 Guineas as the overwhelming favorite, and experts agree only a career-best performance from another contender will be enough to deny her on Classic day.

    Second place went to Taylor Made, who rebounded impressively from a disappointing finish in the Thornbird Stakes. An equipment adjustment sharpened her reaction out of the starting gate, and she raced among the front runners for the full trip, hitting the lead as the field turned for home. She looked poised to hold on until her stablemate Dream Catcher swept past her in just a few strides. While she could not match the winner’s explosive closing speed, her strong effort confirms she remains competitive at the highest level, and she is expected to be a solid contender for a placing in the 1000 Guineas.

    Third place went to Lexi Lou, who put in a gritty performance after racing near the front through most of the contest. She could not match Dream Catcher’s late burst and was outfinished by Taylor Made in the final furlong, but her tenacity suggests she will be a dangerous competitor in lower-level fields once the top filly moves on to the Classics.

    Sky Is The Limit entered the Portmore Stakes with long odds and ran exactly to expectations, finishing fourth. She never challenged the early pace but closed steadily through the final stretch to secure the position. While the performance was not eye-catching, it adds to her consistent record of solid runs, and she is one to watch as Classic distances increase later in the season.

    Passion And Beyond, bred to excel over longer distances, was expected to perform well but ran a steady, even race that left her short of contention in the sprint finish. She lacked the closing acceleration to challenge the front runners, but experts believe she will improve when moving to longer races, and she should not be counted out for the 1000 Guineas or the Jamaica Oaks.

    Pippa, stepping up to stakes competition after an impressive debut win, found the Portmore Stakes a step too far in class. She remained in contention through most of the race but faded in the final stretch, running out of steam. The outing is viewed as a valuable learning experience, and she is expected to improve with the added race time under her belt.

    Aliya’s Will ran true to form, plugging along through the race without ever threatening the leading contenders. Her performance confirms she will need to drop down in class to find competitive success.

    Pre-race favorite Another Wow turned in a surprisingly underwhelming run, trailing the field from the starting break and never finding her racing rhythm. She was beaten well before the final stretch, but connections remain confident she is a better runner than this result suggests and expect her to bounce back in her next start.

    One Ianzha Links was never in the mix, outpaced from the opening strides and unable to respond when the race accelerated.

    The race ended on an unfortunate note for Victorious Links, whose jockey fell from the saddle mid-race. Experts note no fair assessment of her performance can be made from the outing.

    Following the race, DaCosta greeted Dream Catcher and Foster back in the winner’s circle, capturing a memorable moment for the dominant favorite ahead of the 1000 Guineas.

  • Duplantis ‘nervous but fired up’ for Diamond League opener

    Duplantis ‘nervous but fired up’ for Diamond League opener

    The 2025 Diamond League athletics season is poised to kick off Saturday in Shanghai/Keqiao, China, and the sport’s biggest global superstar is already opening up about the mixed emotions ahead of his first outdoor meet of the year. Armand “Mondo” Duplantis, the unmatched pole vault world record-holder and one of track and field’s most dominant current athletes, shared his candid thoughts Friday on the eve of competition, admitting even he feels pre-event jitters as he fights to extend his unprecedented multi-year winning streak.

    Born in the United States but competing for Sweden, Duplantis enters Saturday’s pole vault contest as the heavy favorite, but he will face a stacked field of elite competitors that could push him to new heights. Among his opponents is Greece’s Emmanouil Karalis, who catapulted to second place on the sport’s all-time ranking earlier this year after clearing 6.17 meters at a meet in Athens. Rounding out the competitive line-up are two-time world champion Sam Kendricks of the United States and Kurtis Marschall of Australia, a two-time World Championship bronze medalist.

    Duplantis’s incredible run of form makes his appearance at the Chinese season opener the most highly anticipated attraction of the weekend. The pole vault icon has not lost a competition since 2021, and he extended his own world record for the 15th time this past March, clearing an extraordinary 6.31 meters at a domestic meet in Sweden. Beyond his unbeaten streak, Duplantis brings unrivaled Olympic and world championship pedigree to the track: he is a two-time Olympic gold medalist and a three-time world champion, credentials that have cemented his status as the greatest pole vaulter in history.

    In his pre-event press remarks Friday, Duplantis balanced his excitement for the new season with a honest admission of pre-competition nerves. “You always have a little bit of nerves when you’re going into your first outdoor competition, which I really like because it gets you a little bit fired up and you bring a little bit of a different type of energy,” he explained. The champion added that he is already feeling good heading into the contest, and he has a particular affinity for competing at the Chinese venue. “I really like jumping here. I love jumping when you have that nice light at night — big stadium really sets the mood. I think it’s really going to be fun. I want to jump high, as always.”

    Duplantis is far from the only elite headliner set to compete this weekend. The season opener will also feature some of the biggest names in global track and field, including Kenyan middle-distance legend Faith Kipyegon, Norwegian hurdling world record holder Karsten Warholm, Botswana’s reigning Olympic 200-meter champion Letsile Tebogo, and Nigerian 100-meter hurdling star Tobi Amusan. The packed line-up ensures the 15-meet Diamond League series will get a high-energy, high-stakes start.

    This year’s tour will span four continents and 15 major cities around the world, wrapping up with a two-day championship final held in Brussels, Belgium, on September 4 and 5.

  • Haiti targeting World Cup knockout rounds, says coach

    Haiti targeting World Cup knockout rounds, says coach

    Almost half a century after their only previous appearance at football’s biggest global stage, Haiti is gearing up to make a historic return to the FIFA World Cup, with head coach Sebastien Migne announcing an ambitious goal to reach the knockout rounds as he unveiled his final 26-player squad for the tournament on Friday.

    The Caribbean nation, which last qualified for the World Cup finals back in 1974, has been drawn into one of the competition’s toughest groups: Group C, where it will face off against five-time world champion Brazil, 2022 World Cup semi-finalists Morocco, and European side Scotland. Migne acknowledged that securing the country’s first-ever World Cup point would be a key milestone, but argued that setting this as the team’s sole limit would fail to push his squad to reach their full potential.

    “The primary objective will, of course, be to secure our first-ever point in the World Cup finals. However, setting that as the sole goal would provide too little motivation for my players,” Migne explained in Port-au-Prince. “Our new roadmap includes reaching the Round of 32; that is what we will strive to achieve, by focusing on our style of play rather than solely on the high stakes involved.”

    Haiti’s journey to this World Cup has been nothing short of remarkable, played out against a backdrop of severe instability at home. The small, impoverished Caribbean nation has been grappling with widespread gang violence that has spiraled into an unprecedented humanitarian crisis, making the team’s qualification all the more meaningful for the country. Migne emphasized that the World Cup represents a rare, invaluable opportunity to put Haitian football on the global map.

    “This is a tremendous showcase for Haiti — opportunities like this don’t come along very often,” Migne said.

    In his final squad selection, Migne included two surprise uncapped call-ups: Slovakia-based midfielder Dominique Simon and forward Lenny Joseph, who plies his trade with Hungarian top-flight side Ferencvaros. The full roster draws talent from across 12 different countries, with a large contingent of players based in European and North American leagues, alongside one homegrown midfielder from Haitian side Violette.

    To prepare for the tournament, Haiti will travel to Florida for a pre-World Cup training camp starting May 24. The team will play two warm-up friendlies ahead of the group stage: first against New Zealand on June 2, followed by a final test against Peru three days later on June 5.

    Haiti’s group stage campaign gets underway with an opening match against Scotland on June 16, before taking on Brazil three days later, and wrapping up group play against Morocco on June 24.

    The full 26-man squad is as follows:
    Goalkeepers: Johnny Placide (Bastia, France), Alexandre Pierre (Sochaux, France), Josue Duverger (Koblenz, Germany)
    Defenders: Carlens Arcus (Angers, France), Wilguens Pauguain (Waregem, Belgium), Duke Lacroix (Colorado, USA), Martin Experience (Nancy, France), Jean-Kevin Duverne (Ghent, Belgium), Ricardo Ade (Quito, Ecuador), Hannes Delcroix (Lugano, Switzerland), Keeto Thermoncy (Berne, Switzerland)
    Midfielders: Leverton Pierre (Vizela, Portugal), Carl-Fred Sainthé (El Paso, USA), Jean-Jacques Danley (Philadelphia Union, USA), Jean-Ricner Bellegarde (Wolverhampton, England), Pierre Woodenski (Violette, Haiti), Dominique Simon (Presov, Slovakia)
    Forwards: Louicius Deedson (Dallas, USA), Ruben Providence (Almere, Netherlands), Josue Casimir (Auxerre, France), Derrick Etienne (Toronto, Canada), Wilson Isidor (Sunderland, England), Duckens Nazon (Esteghlal, Iran), Frantzdy Pierrot (Rizespor, Turkey), Yassin Fortune (Vizela, Portugal), Lenny Joseph (Ferencvaros, Hungary)