Carib Scope

分类： sports

  • Antigua and Barbuda Represented at 6th World Nomad Games in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan

    Antigua and Barbuda Represented at 6th World Nomad Games in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan

    The 6th iteration of the World Nomad Games, a global celebration of traditional nomadic athletic and intellectual culture, kicked off in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, drawing participants from more than 100 countries between August 30 and September 7, 2026. For the first time, the small Caribbean nation of Antigua and Barbuda sent a delegation to compete on this international stage, marking a significant milestone in the country’s engagement with global cultural and sporting initiatives.

    After a lengthy three-day journey to Central Asia, Antigua and Barbuda’s three-person contingent — consisting of competing athletes Terrance ‘Kambui’ Charles and Denise Francis, and head coach Trevor Simon — marched alongside representatives from 103 other nations during the Parade of Nations on August 31, part of the tournament’s official opening ceremony.

    Established to center and safeguard centuries-old traditional games and athletic practices from across the globe, the World Nomad Games blend physical competition with cultural preservation. This year’s event featured a diverse lineup of contests, ranging from outdoor physical sports like archery, horseback riding, wrestling and judo to a trio of centuries-old strategy board games: Oware (also known as Warri), Togyz Kumalak, and Mangala. These abstract strategy games, which originated in ancient African and Central Asian cultures, have grown into organized competitive sports with active professional player circuits across Europe, Asia, South America, and Africa.

    Antigua and Barbuda’s participation in the 2026 games was supported by the Antigua and Barbuda Warri Academy, the nation’s leading body for promoting Oware/Warri play. Both local athletes turned in solid performances against seasoned international competitors: Kambui Charles claimed five wins across seven rounds of Oware/Warri, and even picked up a win in Togyz Kumalak, a game he learned just one day before the start of competition. Teammate Denise Francis notched three wins in seven Oware/Warri rounds, and secured four wins from eight rounds of Togyz Kumalak.

    For Antigua and Barbuda, the delegation’s invitation and participation in the World Nomad Games represents more than just a sporting outing: it is a concrete step forward for the nation’s commitment to advancing cross-cultural dialogue and protecting endangered global traditional heritage, while also elevating the profile of its own traditional board game culture on the world stage.

  • CPL 2026: Guyana Amazon Warriors beat St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots by seven wickets – WIC News

    CPL 2026: Guyana Amazon Warriors beat St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots by seven wickets – WIC News

    The 2026 edition of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) continues to deliver thrilling T20 cricket action, and on September 6, 2026, the Guyana Amazon Warriors cemented their status as the tournament’s undefeated frontrunners with a commanding seven-wicket victory over the St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots at Providence Stadium in Guyana.

    St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots won the pre-match coin toss and opted to set a first-innings target for the hosts, a decision that ultimately failed to pay off. A dominant bowling performance led by veteran all-rounder Mohammad Nabi cut the Patriots’ innings short after just 19.2 overs, with the side bowled out for a total of 128 runs. Top-order batter Alick Athanaze anchored the Patriots’ innings with a 39-ball 52, but received little consistent support from the rest of the batting lineup: only Dasun Shanaka (20 runs from 20 balls) and Kyle Mayers (20 runs from 12 balls) managed to reach double-digit scores, as Nabi tore through the batting order to finish with exceptional figures of 4 wickets for just 17 runs across his four overs.

    Chasing a modest target of 129 runs for victory, the Guyana Amazon Warriors lost just three wickets on their way to the win, crossing the finish line with nine unused overs balls remaining. The hosts finished on 132 runs for 3 wickets after 18.3 overs, with key contributions from Rahmanullah Gurbaz (39 runs off 25 balls), Shai Hope (an unbeaten 38 runs off 44 balls) and Nabi, who closed out the innings with an unbeaten 25 runs off 21 balls.

    Nabi’s all-round match-winning performance earned him the Player of the Match award, and in his post-match press interaction, the all-rounder expressed his comfort competing at Providence Stadium. “I love bowling in Guyana as the pitch here is a bit slow, which suits me,” Nabi said, adding that he consistently delivers strong bowling performances on the venue’s surface. He also shared his positive experience with the franchise, noting, “It’s a lovely franchise. I’ve really enjoyed my time here over the last month and a half with Guyana.”

    With the result, the Guyana Amazon Warriors extend their perfect start to the 2026 CPL campaign: the side has now won all six of their matches in the tournament, accumulating 12 points to claim the number one spot on the league standings. The St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots, by contrast, remain in fifth place with seven points after the 28th match of the series.

    Looking ahead, the table-topping Warriors are set to return to the pitch just two days later for their 30th CPL 2026 match, where they will face off against Antigua and Barbuda Falcons on September 8, 2026.

  • Trident trouble

    Trident trouble

    In a tense Caribbean Premier League (CPL) clash held Saturday night at Bridgetown’s iconic Kensington Oval, the Barbados Tridents slumped to their fourth consecutive defeat, falling 35 runs short against the Trinbago Knight Riders and remaining stuck at the foot of the Republic Bank-sponsored league standings.

    The result has all but extinguished the Tridents’ already slim hopes of securing a playoff berth in this year’s tournament, putting immense pressure on the side heading into their next fixture.

    The match got off to a strong start for the underperforming Tridents, who put on a clinical display with the ball during the powerplay after electing to field first. Tight line and length bowling restricted the Knight Riders to just 28 runs for the loss of one wicket, leaving the visitors struggling to find their rhythm early on.

    It was Trinbago captain Nicholas Pooran, batting at the three spot, who turned the innings around with a blistering counterattack. Pooran injected much-needed momentum into the run rate, finishing as the match’s top scorer with a explosive 59 runs off just 37 deliveries, punctuated by seven towering sixes and two cleanly struck fours. Opening batsman Colin Munroe supported Pooran well, contributing a solid 38 runs from 32 balls. By the end of their 20 overs, the Knight Riders were all out for 147 for six, a total built on Pooran’s late innings charge. For the Tridents, left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie delivered the standout bowling performance, claiming three wickets for just 29 runs, while Afghanistan spin star Mujeeb Ur Rahman chipped in with two wickets for 22 runs.

    Heading into their run chase, most fans expected the Tridents to knock off the modest 148-run target in comfortable fashion. But a devastating opening spell from Knight Riders star and eventual player of the match Sunil Narine derailed the Tridents’ innings before it could even get off the ground.

    Narine claimed three wickets inside the powerplay, including removing star opener Quinton de Kock and Rivaldo Clarke for ducks, leaving the Tridents reeling at 35 runs for the loss of four wickets after the first six overs. Narine finished with incredible figures of four wickets for just 12 runs, while all-rounder Jyd Goolie picked up three wickets for 20 runs and fast bowler Lahiru Kumara claimed two wickets for 30 runs. The Tridents’ batting order, which has struggled for consistency throughout the 2024 tournament, never recovered from the early collapse, folding for 112 all out with nine balls still left in their innings. Only openers Zachary Carter and Sherfance Rutherford offered any resistance, sharing joint top scores of 21 runs apiece for the side.

    After the final wicket fell, Tridents captain Chris Green acknowledged his side’s solid bowling effort but admitted the batting unit had failed to cope with tricky conditions and a high-quality Knight Riders bowling attack. The skipper thanked the home fans who turned out to support the side, and said he was optimistic the team could bounce back in their upcoming fixture scheduled for Sunday, September 6.

    “Look, thank you for coming out tonight – the atmosphere was amazing,” Green told reporters post-match. “We’re gutted with our performance, but we have to dust ourselves off and come back. We’ll try to put in a better performance, because we definitely need to.”

  • Black Sands Swim Squad make major impact at 2026 SVG championships

    Black Sands Swim Squad make major impact at 2026 SVG championships

    The 2026 SVG Gallagher National Swim Championships, held between August 27 and 30, brought together competitive swimmers from across St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) alongside visiting athletes from neighboring Caribbean nations including Barbados, Grenada and St. Kitts. Among the competing clubs, Black Sands Swim Squad (BSSS) delivered a historic performance, with 32 of its members competing across age-group divisions, securing a stunning total of 108 medals.

    The championship marked a key milestone for BSSS, as the squad introduced seven first-time competitors making their national championship debuts in club colors: Kandre Deshong, Dre Byam, Damarie Carrington, Darius Humphrey, Freya Providence-York, Grayson Richardson, and siblings Keri and Erin Dickson. Every BSSS swimmer turned in notable results, with many recording personal best times and marked improvements over their previous performances. While Janai George, Azalea Cox and Seth Byron claimed third place overall in their respective age groups, Anthony George and Rayshana Boyce-Edwards secured second place overall finishes.

    Young star Sarai Williams emerged as a standout in the Girls 8 & Under division, taking home all nine gold medals contested in the category. Her dominant performance earned her both the Overall Age-Group Champion Trophy and the Sprint Challenge Trophy, and she smashed two long-standing national records in the 7-8 age bracket. Williams lowered the 25-meter backstroke record from Eltonique Leonard’s 19.80 seconds to a new mark of 19.49 seconds, and cut 0.72 seconds off Zariel Nelson’s previous 50-meter breaststroke record of 45.97 seconds, setting a new time of 45.25.

    Following Williams’ lead, Ira Hadley continued her rapid rise as one of BSSS’s most promising young talents in the Girls 9–10 division, claiming nine golds, one silver and one bronze to take home the Overall Age-Group Champion Trophy. In the Boys 9–10 category, Methuselah McLean matched that success, winning seven gold and five silver medals to claim his own overall age-group title.

    In the Boys 13–14 division, Kione Deshong turned in an performance that drew international praise, winning nine gold and three silver medals to secure the overall championship, while breaking four SVG national records. Deshong lowered the 100m breaststroke record from Bryson George’s 1:08.03 to 1:06.81, cut 2.51 seconds off Alex Joachim’s 200m breaststroke record to set a new mark of 2:30.63, shaved 0.3 seconds off Eltonte Leonard’s 100m butterfly record to hit 1:01.39, and brought the 200m Individual Medley record down from Joachim’s 2:19.53 to 2:16.89.
    BSSS Head Coach Kyle Dougan highlighted the global significance of Deshong’s 100m breaststroke result, noting that when compared against international age-group rankings, the time places Deshong among the fastest 14-year-old swimmers in the world in that event. “For a young swimmer from SVG to produce a performance at that level is something we should all be extremely proud of. It demonstrates the potential that exists within our young swimmers and shows that athletes from the Caribbean can compete on an international level,” Dougan said.
    Former BSSS swimmer Tyler Robinson, who currently trains in Jamaica, returned to SVG to compete for a spot on the national team, and left his own mark on the championship by breaking three national records in the Boys 15–16 division. Robinson lowered the 100m breaststroke record from Shane Cadogan’s 1:05.78 to 1:05.08, cut more than two seconds off Alex Joachim’s 200m breaststroke record to set a new mark of 2:28.00, and shaved 0.19 seconds off Matthew Ballah’s 100m Individual Medley record to hit 1:00.84.

    In closing, BSSS extended its gratitude to the SVG Swimming Federation for its ongoing support of the event and local swimming development, and congratulated all competing teams, particularly overall points champion Blue Marlins for their win. The BSSS squad is led by Assistant Coaches Kathleen Bute and Joann Matthews, with Team Managers Desmond Cox and Vanessa Hadley supporting the team.
    Looking ahead, BSSS is partnering with Tropical Shipping to host its first-ever Developmental Meet on September 26 at the Shrewsbury Aquatic Centre. The event is open to all current and aspiring competitive swimmers across SVG, and the club has encouraged all interested athletes to register to participate.

  • Tridents lose WCPL opener

    Tridents lose WCPL opener

    The 2024 Women’s Caribbean Premier League got off to a thrilling start at Bridgetown’s iconic Kensington Oval on Saturday, where player-of-the-match Shikha Pandey delivered a standout all-round performance to hand the Trinbago Knight Riders Women a 21-run victory over three-time defending champions Barbados Tridents.

    Put into bat first after Tridents captain Hayley Matthews won the toss, the Knight Riders got off to a blistering start in the mandatory powerplay. Openers Laura Harris and Yastika Bhatia dominated the Tridents bowling attack, carrying the side to a comfortable 71 for 1 by the end of the first six overs. Harris was particularly destructive, cracking 38 runs off just 19 deliveries, featuring four crisp fours and three towering sixes. Bhatia chipped in with a solid 35, while middle-order batter Madeline Penna added 27 to the total. However, a dramatic late-order collapse saw the Knight Riders’ last six batters all dismissed for single-digit scores, with the side bowled out for 155 runs on the final ball of their 20-over innings.

    The Tridents fought hard to restrict the defending champions’ opponents, with young seamer Qiana Joseph leading the bowling effort with three wickets for 27 runs. Former captain Suzie Bates claimed 2 for 25, while Matthews also picked up two wickets for 26 runs to cap a strong bowling display from the titleholders.

    In response, the Tridents got their run chase off to a promising start, with Matthews and Joseph putting on an early opening partnership. Matthews fell for 19 off 13 deliveries on the last ball of the fifth over, and Joseph followed just one over later, dismissed for 25 on the penultimate ball of the sixth over. That left the Tridents 47 for 2 at the conclusion of the powerplay, with momentum shifting firmly in the Knight Riders’ favor.

    Number three batter Kiran Navgire top-scored for the Tridents with 28 off 21 deliveries, and Maddy Green contributed 24, but the side failed to build sustained partnerships after the powerplay. Pandey, who was consistently accurate and economical with her medium-pace bowling, ripped through the Tridents lower order to finish with sensational figures of 3 wickets for just 17 runs. All-rounder Deandra Dottin chipped in with two wickets for 24 runs, while Samara Ramnath also picked up two wickets for 16 runs. The Tridents were eventually bowled out for 134 runs with six balls still left in their innings, sealing a 21-run opening win for the Trinbago Knight Riders.

  • Antigua and Barbuda’s Tiffany Gordon earns IFBB Elite Pro Card

    Antigua and Barbuda’s Tiffany Gordon earns IFBB Elite Pro Card

    A rising talent in international bikini fitness has put Antigua and Barbuda on the regional bodybuilding map, after a standout showing at one of the sport’s most anticipated annual competitions. Tiffany Gordon, a promising amateur bikini fitness athlete from the twin-island nation, turned heads at the 53rd edition of the Central American and Caribbean Fitness and Bodybuilding Championships, held in Guatemala between August 27 and 31, and walked away with an opportunity most amateur competitors spend years working toward.

    Gordon’s journey at the tournament started with an impressive win in her individual division, which earned her a spot in the overall championship round, where she went head-to-head against all other category winners from across the region. Her disciplined routine, sharp conditioning, and commanding stage presence convinced judges to award her a coveted IFBB Elite Pro Card, the official credential that opens the door to transition from amateur competition to the global professional bodybuilding circuit.

    Despite the life-changing achievement, Gordon has not yet finalized her decision on whether to accept the pro card and make the jump to professional competition. Sources close to the athlete note she is taking time to weigh the opportunities and commitments that come with turning pro, before announcing her next steps.

    Gordon was not the only representative of her country at the regional tournament. She competed as part of a five-person national team that also included experienced and up-and-coming athletes Franklin Carbon, Jonte’ Barnes, Che-Vaughn Ferris, and Andrei Phillip. Carbon, one of the team’s most seasoned competitors, earned his spot at the regional event after securing the overall senior bodybuilding title at Antigua and Barbuda’s National Championships earlier that same month, capping off a strong domestic run to earn his place on the international stage.

    For Gordon, the result in Guatemala marks more than just a competition win: it is a transformative milestone in her athletic career, creating a clear, achievable pathway to compete at the highest levels of professional bodybuilding should she choose to pursue it. The achievement also highlights the growing depth of fitness and bodybuilding talent emerging from small Caribbean nations, putting Antigua and Barbuda on the radar of international fitness governing bodies and fans.

  • Knight Riders beat Tridents in WCPL Opener

    Knight Riders beat Tridents in WCPL Opener

    The 2026 edition of the Limacol Women’s Caribbean Premier League (WCPL) kicked off at Bridgetown’s iconic Kensington Oval on Saturday, September 5, with an exciting opening clash that saw pre-tournament contender Trinbago Knight Riders claim an emphatic 21-run victory over three-time defending champions Barbados Tridents Women.

    After Tridents skipper won the pre-match coin toss and elected to send the Knight Riders into bat first, the tournament’s new entrants faced an early setback that could have derailed their innings. Fast bowler Shawnisha Hector thought she had claimed the early wicket of opener Bhatia via a caught-and-bowled, but the delivery was ruled a no-ball, gifting the Indian international a critical second life. Bhatia made no mistake in capitalizing on the reprieve, partnering with Laura Harris to build a devastating opening stand that dominated the PowerPlay overs.

    Harris proved particularly unplayable for the Tridents bowling attack, bludgeoning 38 runs off just 19 deliveries, while Bhatia chipped in with a steady 35 to consolidate the innings. By the time the opening pair was broken in the final over of the PowerPlay, Knight Riders had raced to 71 runs from the six overs, putting the Tridents on the back foot early. The home side tried four different bowlers in the PowerPlay in a bid to stem the flow of runs, but none could find consistent containment. Later in the innings, Suzie Bates and Quiana Joseph turned the tide for Tridents, combining to take five wickets that dragged the contest back into balance and restricted Knight Riders to a total of 155 all out, a challenging but achievable target for the defending champions.

    Chasing 156 for victory, Barbados got off to a promising start, with all of their top four batters getting off to solid starts. Debutant Kiran Navgire showed her quality with a quick 28, while Joseph contributed a 21-ball 25 to keep the Trident’s run chase on track. However, the Knight Riders’ pace attack gradually turned the screw, applying consistent pressure that broke the backbone of Barbados’ pursuit. All-rounder Deandra Dottin and Indian seamer Shikha Pandey combined to claim five wickets between them, derailing the Tridents’ middle order. As the pressure mounted on the lower order, Knight Riders’ spinners mopped up the remaining wickets to cap off a dominant all-round bowling performance and seal the 21-run win.

    The result hands Trinbago Knight Riders the perfect start to their 2026 WCPL campaign, sending an early statement of their title credentials to the rest of the competition. For the three-time defending champions, the opening day defeat leaves them with work to do, needing to regroup quickly ahead of their next group stage fixture after being outplayed in the second half of the contest.

  • Warriors extend unbeaten run victory over Kingsmen

    Warriors extend unbeaten run victory over Kingsmen

    In the latest fixture of the 2026 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) hosted at Providence Stadium on September 5, the Guyana Amazon Warriors delivered a clinical, commanding performance to defeat the Jamaica Kingsmen by eight wickets, extending their flawless unbeaten run on home soil this season. The result leaves the Kingsmen facing an urgent battle to reset their form and retain their chances of qualifying for the tournament’s playoffs.

    Having been sent in to open the batting by Warriors captain Shai Hope, the Kingsmen struggled to find any consistent rhythm against a tight, disciplined Warrior bowling attack from the first over. South African all-rounder Dwaine Pretorius got the hosts off to a flying start, claiming two key wickets in his three-over spell, both via lbw: he dismissed opener Kirk McKenzie for just 1 run before removing top-order batter Keacy Carty for 18. Spin bowler Khary Pierre also picked up a pair of scalps, first bowling Usman Khan before trapping Maaz Sadaqat in front to claim his wicket for 35 runs off 34 deliveries.

    Wickets tumbled steadily through the middle overs, putting the Kingsmen firmly on the back foot. In the 13th over, the side collapsed to 83 for 5 after Keemo Paul (15) and Rovman Powell departed in consecutive deliveries, with Powell falling for a golden duck to veteran Afghan spinner Mohammad Nabi. It was left to lower-order batter Hassan Khan to salvage the Kingsmen’s innings, and he delivered a sensational late surge, hitting an unbeaten 62 runs from only 29 deliveries that included six towering sixes. His solo effort dragged the Kingsmen to a final total of 159 for 7 from their 20 overs. Odean Smith chipped in with a useful 13 runs before being run out in the penultimate over, while Vitel Lawes held firm at the non-striker’s end to see out the innings.

    For the Warriors, the 160-run chase never looked like anything other than a routine victory once opening batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz found his range. Gurbaz and opening partner Mavendra Dindyal put on 46 runs in less than five overs, putting the game well beyond the Kingsmen’s reach inside the PowerPlay itself. Dindyal departed to Hunain Shah for a rapid 33 off 17 balls, an innings that featured four sixes, but Gurbaz continued his aggressive charge, reaching a half-century of 54 runs off 35 balls with five fours and three sixes. He was finally caught out off the bowling of Maaz Sadaqat in the 13th over with the score at 114, handing the Kingsmen their second wicket of the innings.

    That left captain Shai Hope and star batter Shimron Hetmyer to close out the win, and the pair required less than five overs to seal the eight-wicket victory. Hope anchored the chase with an unbeaten 39 off 35 deliveries, while Hetmyer accelerated to an unbeaten 30 from just 17 balls, wrapping up the win in the 18th overs with 16 deliveries still to spare. The Warriors chased the target at a run rate of 9.23 runs per over, with only Hunain Shah and Maaz Sadaqat managing to take a wicket each for the Kingsmen. Overall, the Kingsmen’s bowling attack leaked nearly nine runs per over, unable to slow the Warrior charge at any point in the chase.

    With the win, the Guyana Amazon Warriors stretch their unbeaten home run this CPL season, cementing their position as one of the tournament’s top contenders. For the Jamaica Kingsmen, the defeat creates added pressure to regroup quickly ahead of their upcoming fixtures if they hope to keep their playoff qualification hopes alive.

  • Wharton leads UWI to commanding win

    Wharton leads UWI to commanding win

    Barbados Netball Association league matches delivered lopsided results across two divisions on Wednesday, headlined by a historic perfect shooting display from UWI star Shonica Wharton that propelled her side to a dominant 47-28 triumph over the Wolverines in the Diamonds Division.

    Wharton turned in a near-unprecedented performance in front of onlookers, converting every single one of her 29 shot attempts to keep UWI’s scoreboard ticking consistently throughout the contest. She was not the only standout offensive player for the winning side, however: teammate Rynia Ifill added a solid 18 goals from 31 attempts to pad UWI’s lead and lock in the comfortable final margin.

    The Wolverines put up a competitive offensive effort of their own, with both starting shooters Kianna Harte and Tyesha Trotman matching each other’s production. Each player sunk 14 goals from 25 attempts, combining for 28 total points — but the side could not overcome Wharton’s perfect accuracy and UWI’s balanced offensive attack, ultimately falling 19 points short of the winning mark.

    In concurrent action in the league’s Opals Division, Vauxhall pulled off an even more one-sided victory, cruising to a 26-4 rout of the Panthers. Vauxhall’s offense operated smoothly for most of the match, with leading shooter Janai Harvey notching 11 goals from 18 attempts, while secondary shooter Francia Drakes chipped in nine goals from 14 attempts to build an insurmountable lead early on.

    Panthers’ offense struggled severely to find its rhythm on the night, hampered by inconsistent shot conversion that left the side far off the pace. Starting shooter Zanae Holder converted just one of her two total attempts, while teammate Amara Primus managed three goals from six attempts, resulting in a final four total points for the underperforming side.

  • Football : The new coach of the Grenadiers in Haiti

    Football : The new coach of the Grenadiers in Haiti

    In an official press conference held Friday, September 4 at Port-au-Prince’s Karibe Hotel, the Haitian Football Federation (FHF) formally introduced 51-year-old Spanish tactician David Badia as the new head coach of Haiti’s senior men’s national football team, widely known as the Grenadiers. Badia has signed a binding two-year contract to lead the Caribbean side through upcoming international competitions, and was on the ground in Haiti to attend the unveiling in person.

    During the press event, Badia laid out his core strategic vision, long-term mission, and planned adjustments for the Grenadiers program. He framed his appointment as an opportunity to build on the national team’s recent momentum rather than execute a full reset. “My priority mission is to drive this group forward and build on the solid standing we currently hold,” Badia told reporters. “We are already performing at a good level, but that is never the ceiling. Our work will focus on forging a clear, distinct national team identity as we push for consistent progress.”

    The newly appointed coach outlined a playing philosophy centered on controlled possession and proactive, attacking football, noting that he expects intensity from his players both when they hold the ball and when they are working to win it back. He shared that he already has strong confidence in the talent available to the Grenadiers, saying he is certain the squad will adapt to his tactical requirements and meet his performance expectations.

    Badia also reflected on the warm welcome he received upon arriving in Haiti, highlighting a moment that underscored the nation’s deep connection to its national team. “When I drove into the city, I was genuinely struck by how many people I saw wearing the Grenadiers jersey on the street,” he said. “It was surprising to see so many fans rocking the national team’s colors on a non-matchday, and it really drove home how incredible and passionate the fanbase here is. That energy means a lot to me.”

    When asked about roster plans, Badia confirmed that he intends to slowly transition the squad toward a younger generation of talent, rather than forcing a rapid, disruptive overhaul of the current group. “We will bring new young blood into the national team, but this process will happen step by step,” he explained. “The existing core of the squad will remain intact — I have full confidence in what this group has already achieved. We will gradually integrate new players who can raise our overall level of play, and there are no arbitrary barriers to who can earn a call-up. The door is open to any eligible player, whether they currently play their club football in Haiti or overseas.”

    The appointment marks a new chapter for the Grenadiers as they prepare for upcoming CONCACAF qualifying cycles and international tournaments, with Badia set to begin his tenure immediately ahead of the team’s next scheduled fixtures.