World Cup
Haiti will appeal to fans who love an underdog, but can they pull off an upset or two?
Fans react as players with Haiti’s national soccer team walk onto the stage at a Haitian Heritage Month event, Saturday, May 30, 2026, in North Miami, Fla. AP Photo/Lynne Sladky
June 9, 2026 | 12:15 PM
2 minutes to read
Haiti’s men’s soccer team has been to a World Cup before, but not in the last half-century.
Yet after powering through CONCACAF qualifying, the Haitians upset expectations and grabbed the top spot in their group to clinch a place in the 2026 edition of the tournament.
Before things get going, here’s a quick guide for one of the teams coming to the Boston area for the 2026 World Cup:
Three quick things to know
- It’s Haiti’s first men’s World Cup in 52 years (its women’s team qualified for the first time in 2023). With an expanded World Cup field for the 2026 tournament (48 teams, up from the previous standard of 32), and a trio of usual CONCACAF powerhouses (the U.S., Mexico, and Canada) automatically qualified as hosts, the path was unusually open. However, where other expected qualifying teams failed (like Jamaica or Costa Rica), the Haitians succeeded.
- Haiti qualified despite playing zero home games on Haitian soil in the process. Due to ongoing political turmoil and security concerns, the team played its scheduled home qualifiers in Curacao (almost 500 miles away). The team’s French manager, Sébastien Migné, led Haiti to qualification without ever having actually stepped foot inside the country.
- They face the team (Brazil) that many Haitians usually root for. Having only made it to one World Cup previously, Haitian fans are accustomed to pinning their hopes on another soccer power. But as much goodwill as Brazilian soccer has always generated within Haiti, that will change for at least a short period of time in the 2026 tournament. This is because Haiti was drawn into the same group as Brazil, with the two teams set to clash on June 19 in Philadelphia.
What’s the group stage schedule?
- June 13: Haiti vs. Scotland at 9 p.m. (Boston Stadium)
- June 19: Brazil vs. Haiti at 8:30 p.m. (Philadelphia Stadium)
- June 24: Morocco vs. Haiti at 6 p.m. (Atlanta Stadium)
Standout quote: “Once we qualified, when I say everything stopped in the country, I mean everything stopped,” said Haitian forward Frantzdy Pierrot in a recent interview with Boston.com. Pierrot, born in Haiti, grew up in Melrose, Mass. as he developed into a top level forward. Now playing in Greece (and scoring goals for Haiti in qualifying), the 31-year-old has an optimistic view of being one of the tournament’s underdogs.
“Anything can happen.”
Player to know: Frantzdy Pierrot, the aforementioned Haitian forward with Mass. ties. While the recent call-up of Sunderland forward Wilson Isidor might place Pierrot’s starting lineup spot under threat, the veteran striker will likely remain a major figure in Migné’s plans. Standing at 6-foot-4, he’s an imposing figure who could help the Haitians score on all-important set pieces.
How they might line up: Migné’s success has been to build Haiti into a cohesive and tough team (showcased by their advancement through CONCACAF qualifying), capable of unleashing counterattacks from fullbacks and wide players. Isidor and Ruben Providence’s ability to find space between opposing defenses and midfields can also provide an avenue toward goal.
Expert prediction: “Yes, they’re minnows, and they realistically need a result against Scotland or Morocco to progress beyond the group stage… with the big game against Brazil likely bearing little fruit, though it may become a touchpoint for Haitian football fans for a generation.” –FourFourTwo’s Mark White
Fun version of their anthem: Here’s Haitian-American musician Jean Caze playing an excellent trumpet rendition in 2024.
Hayden Bird is a sports staff writer for Boston.com, where he has worked since 2016. He covers all things sports in New England.
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