Overview:
With Haiti’s national team qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the country has a rare—perhaps unique—opportunity to improve its global image through sports diplomacy. Policy analyst Esnold Jure argues that Haitian officials should adopt a coordinated, long-term strategy—engaging athletes, cultural ambassadors and the diaspora—to leverage football, popularly known in the United States as soccer, as a foreign policy tool.
Once praised for its cultural richness, opulence and the innate heroism of its people, Haiti now more often makes international headlines for poverty, violence and chronic instability. Les Grenadiers’ qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup offers a rare opportunity to change that narrative. More importantly, it gives the Haitian government a chance to make football [known as soccer in the United States]—and sports more broadly—an essential pillar of its foreign policy toolkit.
“Football is apolitical,” claims FIFA. Yet, the reality is starkly different. First, everything is political. Second, leaders throughout history have used sports, particularly football, to advance political priorities.
More than 2,000 years ago, the Chinese played Cuju (kick-ball) for entertainment and social bonding, while soldiers practiced it for military training. The Mesoamerican communities used ball games for dispute resolution, among other purposes. In Ancient Greece, kings from warring city-states established the Olympic Truce to allow athletes to participate safely in what’s now known today as the Olympic Games. In modern times, Edson Arantes do Nascimento, known as Pelé, the king of football, never played in Europe because President Jânio Quadros officially declared him a “national treasure”—his presence helped keep a turbulent Brazil united. In 2004, the United Nations organized the Game for Peace, bringing Brazil’s star-studded national team to Port-au-Prince to play Haiti in support of stabilization efforts following years of violence.
More recently, the Gulf states—primarily the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar and Saudi Arabia—have used sports to diversify their oil-dependent economies and soft power. The UAE bought English Premier League club Manchester City in 2008 for $360 million. Qatar disbursed around $131 million to acquire the French Ligue 1 team Paris Saint-Germain. In addition to purchasing Newcastle, another English top-flight club, the Saudis have invested over a billion dollars to bring players such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema to their professional soccer league. These efforts have not only enhanced these countries’ global image but have also transformed them into influential diplomatic partners to Western powers on critical international issues.
These examples show that while football entertains, politicians have long leveraged its popularity and ability to enthrall hearts and minds as an effective political and diplomatic tool.
Today, few events can provide the FIFA World Cup’s unique global exposure. Therefore, Haiti should leverage its participation and a tool that has worked for over 3,000 years to rebrand itself.
Haiti should seize this moment
First, the government—working through the ministries of Culture and Communication and Foreign Affairs, alongside the Haitian Football Federation (FHF)—should develop a coordinated communications and branding strategy aligned with the World Cup. With a clear core message, officials can encourage supporters to amplify positive narratives, organize fan gatherings near match venues and promote Haitian culture through social media and public events.
Second, in cities hosting Haiti’s matches, diplomatic missions should organize pre-game cultural events to showcase Haiti’s history, art and culture. These moments can reach audiences far beyond traditional diplomatic circles.
Third, Haiti should more intentionally engage its influential athletes and cultural figures—especially within the diaspora—as informal ambassadors. Many already defend the country publicly and challenge negative stereotypes. A coordinated approach would help ensure Haiti’s World Cup presence leaves a lasting impression beyond the pitch.
Beyond the 2026 World Cup, Haiti should make football and sports more central to its foreign policy. The country currently has Melchie Dumornay, who went from playing in the streets of Mirebalais to inspiring fans worldwide and now competing for one of the top women’s clubs in Europe. From Jean-Ricner Bellegarde competing against the best in the English Premier League, to Fafa Picault sharing a dressing room with stars like Messi, to Lewis Cine helping the Philadelphia Eagles secure their second Super Bowl, Haiti has many sports ambassadors.
Although not officially representing Haiti in sports, figures such as tennis star Naomi Osaka and NBA players Luguentz Dort and Bennedict Mathurin—who proudly embrace their Haitian heritage—could also serve as influential ambassadors. Haiti’s policymakers must strategically attract, support and ensure that these talents benefit the homeland.
In an increasingly inward-looking world, countries like Haiti—long dependent on external aid—face growing obstacles to securing international support. Sports diplomacy offers an alternative path. By showcasing Haiti’s culture, history and talent, the country can attract positive attention, stimulate tourism when conditions allow, and foster partnerships with global institutions. Investment in sports infrastructure and talent development can also create jobs and expand economic opportunity.
For many Haitians, football is more than a game. Duckens Nazon captured that truth when he rallied his teammates before the decisive World Cup qualifier against Nicaragua, reminding them that millions of struggling Haitians placed their hopes on their feet.
Haiti has earned its place on the world stage. Now policymakers must ensure it stays there—by harnessing football not only as a source of pride, but as a strategic diplomatic tool. A move that will help the country capitalize on the socio-economic opportunities that “the beautiful game” can offer.
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