Haiti's home match in the Concacaf Nations League quarter-finals against the United States will now be held in Miami. The confederation has approved a broader policy to move Haiti's fixtures to neutral sites in the United States. This decision was made due to intense gang violence in Haiti. The first leg on 14 November will take place at a stadium in Florida, not in Jamaica.
Concacaf stated this special arrangement will continue "for as long as the security situation in Haiti persists." For each match, the Haitian Football Federation must get approval, have the opponent's agreement, and ensure the stadium meets confederation standards. Concacaf noted the policy "may be amended or withdrawn by the Concacaf Council at any time."
Security crisis forces move
Haiti has not hosted home matches in its own country since the assassination of its president. The security conditions have worsened significantly, with reports indicating violent gangs control most of the capital. Gang violence has caused widespread displacement and many casualties and kidnappings recently.
In a major setback for football, the national stadium was taken over by gangs. This led Haiti to play recent home games in Jamaica, where attendance was very low.
Miami and Cincinnati to host
With the new policy, Haiti will host the United States men's national team at a stadium in Miami on 14 November. The area has a large Haitian community. That stadium was full for a Haiti exhibition match earlier in the year. The second leg is set for a stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio, on 17 November.
This is Haiti's first visit to the United States since the last World Cup, where the team did not win a group match. In past encounters this century, the US has won several times, with other matches ending in draws. The relocation rules also allow Haiti and its clubs to request playing home matches in an opponent's country, not just in the Caribbean.
Read the full report at theguardian.com
