Haiti’s return to the FIFA World Cup is a story of resilience. For the first time since 1974, the nation will cheer its own team, drawn in Group C with Brazil, Scotland, and Morocco.
The squad is scattered worldwide, with 16 players born abroad and coach Sebastien Migne never having set foot in Haiti. Yet stars like Duckens Nazon embody the nation’s pride: “We are the first independent black nation in the world. We have to assume this role.”
Symbolic too is Woodensky Pierre, raised in Cite Soleil, who insists he carries “the hopes where I come from.”
Fans improvise amid power shortages, pooling resources for generators or relying on solar kits, while diaspora crowds in Miami and Boston turn matches into cultural festivals.
For Haiti, the World Cup is not about scorelines—it is about hope, unity, and showing young people alternatives to gangs and violence. Their opener against Scotland in Boston will mark a historic moment.
