If you were tuned into the final night of FIFA World Cup Qualifying in Concacaf on Tuesday night, you’ll likely never forget the scenes as the Haiti Men’s National Team learned it had automatically qualified for next summer’s Finals.

If you didn’t, please remedy that now.

Les Grenadiers took victories against both Costa Rica last Thursday night and Nicaragua on Tuesday. Combined with the scoreless draw between Honduras and Costa Rica in the group’s other contest, and Haiti sailed to the top of the Group C standings and into its first World Cup since 1974.

The success has come despite an arduous campaign that saw the side playing its home games at a neutral site in Curaçao with the country still in turmoil following the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021.

But for the contingent of USL Championship players that have featured throughout the past six games, the dream they had at the start of September has now come true.

“To be able to put your country, Haiti, in a group stage at the World Cup for the first time in two generations is the epitome of joy in the sport,” wrote Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC’s Duke Lacroix in a From the Pitch prior to the start of the final stage. “That would be special.”

• LEVELING UP: As it turned out, Lacroix played a key role in his country’s advancement. The 32-year-old started in five of the six games and shone. Against Costa Rica last Thursday, he won 7 of 9 duels, recorded two interceptions and three recoveries to grade out as Haiti’s best outfield player with a 7.8 rating on FotMob. He had previously notched a pair of assists, with the side’s lone loss of the stage coming when the 2024 USL Championship title-winner was absent from the lineup away at Honduras.

• PLAYING THEIR PART: In addition to Lacroix, his Switchbacks teammate Garven Metusala, Phoenix Rising FC midfielder Carl Sainté and recent Tampa Bay Rowdies loanee Woobens Pacius were also among the celebrations on Tuesday night, each having made appearances across the three windows. There were other notable players with USL League Two histories, including ex-Reading United forward Frantzdy Pierrot, now playing for AEK Athens in Greece’s top flight.

• HISTORY IN THE MAKING: What Lacroix, Metusala and others will be aiming for now is a place in next summer’s squad. If they achieve that goal, it would be historic for the league. Previously, there has never been an active USL player feature at the FIFA World Cup.

The expansion of the tournament to 48 teams played a role in this, of course, but it also speaks to the quality of players and competition that’s now present in the league as well. The likes of Lacroix – who has made 224 appearances across the regular season and playoffs – have proven in their performances after being called up they deserve these opportunities and get to celebrate that success.

For the USL Championship as a whole, next summer is now looking like it will feature a major landmark on the field as the biggest show in sports comes to these shores.