Women's World Cup Trophy Arrives in Haiti, But Under Heavy Guard

The Haiti Women's National Team shocked the world when it qualified for the Women's World Cup. Now, the trophy has arrived in the beleaguered country, and with a massive amount of armed guards.

The FIFA Women's World Cup trophy was in the gang-ravaged country for a short amount of time, and it was only displayed during a small ceremony due to security concerns as the country is facing a deadly gang violence-related crisis.

It was customary that the World Cup trophy pay a visit to qualifying nations, including Haiti. Usually, its visit is highlighted with a parade and much pomp. However, the Haiti visit was different as security forces surrounded the trophy upon arrival, ensuring the violent street gangs do not try to do anything to get near it.

According to the Associated Press, the Women's World Cup trophy visit was supposed to inspire future female soccer talent. However, upon arrival, it was surrounded by Haitian authorities, mostly men and a handful of women. This included the Haiti National Team's goalkeeper Kerly Theus and the president of the women's soccer federation Monique Andre.

The safety measures for the trophy were deemed necessary when it arrived at Haiti's international airport in Port-au-Prince. Gangs currently control over 60% of the Haitian capital's area, so authorities wanted to make the visit short but secure.

Haiti National Team Vows To 'Keep Shocking the World' During Women's World Cup

Haiti will face England, China, and Denmark in the group stage of the tournament after crushing Chile 2-1 in a qualifying match in New Zealand. The tournament will take place from July 20 in Australia and New Zealand.

The Haiti Women's National Team, also known as "Les Grenadiers," actually have international club experience, with many of its players currently playing in their respective leagues, like the French League. Several others are playing college ball in the United States, including Milan Pierre-Jerome.

Though she was born and raised in Florida, Pierre-Jerome will proudly be representing Haiti in the Women's World Cup.

"I am so emotional because being able to see what we were able to do in the span of a year is incredible," she told the Miami Herald in a phone interview. "To see us go through adversity and being able to put a smile on our country's face and every little Haitian girl who looks up to us is really special."

The Haitian defender stated that they have already established themselves in FIFA and vowed to continue to surprise all.

"We know we can compete against anyone, and we are not just happy to be there. We want to make more news," she said.

Women's World Cup Looms Expected to Become More Popular

According to Al Jazeera, FIFA has said that this year's tournament will be a "watershed" moment that propels women's football to another level. While women's soccer has seen tremendous growth in popularity in many countries, including defending champions the United States, FIFA is targeting a bigger popularity growth that would rival the men's version of the game.

FIFA's chief women's football officer, Sarai Bareman, stated in an interview that over 2 billion viewers were expected to tune in to watch the event, and this number is double the previous tournament in France. FIFA also predicts record attendance, as 650,000 have already been sold, with more expected to sell out.

READ MORE: Lionel Messi Cements GOAT Status with Historic FIFA Award

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

WATCH: Haiti players celebrate after qualifying to the 2023 Women's World Cup for the first time - Sports Fans News