Natcom donates to Haiti’s 2026 World Cup team

National telecommunications company Natcom S.A has donated 13 million gourdes — about $99,000 — to the Haitian Football Federation (FHF) to support the men’s soccer team as it prepares for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. 

The gift, presented during a ceremony on Wednesday, Nov. 26, is among the first major local contributions since Haiti secured its spot on soccer’s biggest stage for the first time in 52 years.

In a statement posted on Facebook Thursday, Natcom said the donation “marks the beginning of a lasting and fruitful partnership” and reflects its commitment to supporting “initiatives that promote national excellence.”

Les Grenadiers qualified for the World Cup on Nov. 18 — Haiti’s Battle of Vertières holiday — after defeating Nicaragua 2–0 at Ergilio Hato Stadium in Willemstad, Curaçao. The expanded 2026 tournament will be hosted across the United States, Mexico and Canada beginning June 28.

FHF, long plagued by financial instability and lack of institutional support, welcomed the contribution.
 

“This gesture shows the confidence that Natcom has in Les Grenadiers and in the Normalization Committee,” the Federation said in a statement also posted on Facebook. “The Federation would like to express its gratitude to Natcom, and together, Les Grenadiers will continue to raise the country’s flag higher.”

Members of the FHF Normalization Committee, including President Monique André and General Secretary Patrick Massénat, attended the check-presentation ceremony.

A team with historic momentum — and steep needs ahead

The donation comes at a critical moment. Preparing for a World Cup requires extensive resources, including months of training camps, international friendlies, travel logistics, sports science support and upgraded facilities — all areas where Haiti has traditionally struggled. The country’s multiple crises simply worsened these issues.

Notably, the team faces challenges exacerbated by the ongoing security crisis and institutional breakdown: training camps are often held abroad, domestic facilities in Port-au-Prince are occupied by gangs, and those in the safer provincial towns remain inadequate, making travel for players and staff more complicated.

FHF has relied increasingly on private sponsorships to keep national programs afloat. Earlier this year, sports-betting company Paryaj Lakay donated $150,000 to help the U-17 men’s team compete at the World Cup in Qatar, and also backed the senior men’s squad during the qualifying campaign. Fans celebrated seeing the company’s logo displayed at the Ergilio Hato Stadium in Willemstad, Curaçao, where Haiti hosted its matches— a rare sign of homegrown corporate support.

Natcom’s donation has drawn similar praise from supporters who hope other businesses will follow suit as Haiti prepares for the most important tournament in its modern soccer history.

“Congratulations and thank you, Natcom,” commented fan René Fervin on Facebook. 

“Congratulations to the federation’s staff, too. People who didn’t want this — watch out for Les Grenadiers. When God says yes, nobody can block it.”

The post Natcom donates to Haiti’s 2026 World Cup team appeared first on The Haitian Times.