Haiti began their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign on a disappointing note as they were defeated by Scoland at the Boston Stadium earlier this week. A goal from Aston Villa midfielder John McGinn was enough for Scotland to get two points and get off to a winning start at the 48-nation tournament.
Haiti will now have a stiff taking on Brazil in their next group-stage match. Before the Grenadiers take on Seleção at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on Friday, here are a few things to know about the team.
- The ongoing edition of the FIFA World Cup is only the second time that Haiti has qualified for the tournament. The Caribbean nation's maiden World Cup appearance was in 1974.
- Haiti secured qualification by finishing runners-up to Curaçao in CONCACAF Group C before topping their third-round qualifying group with crucial wins over Costa Rica and Nicaragua. In their 10 qualifying matches they won six matches, drew twice and lost two games. However the most extraordinary aspect of their qualifying campaign was that they did not play their "home" games in Haiti at all. Internal conflicts and humanitarian crises forced the team to stage their "home" games 800 kilometres away in Curacao, a country that is making their World Cup debut at this tournament.
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- Only one member of Haiti's 26-man World Cup squad currently plays his club football domestically. Midfielder Woodensky Pierre represents Violett Athletic Club, making him the lone Haiti-based player in the squad.
- Violette's home, the Stade Sylvio Cator, used to host Haiti's home matches until gangsters took over the place two years ago.
- Sixteen of Haiti's players were born abroad, across five countries.
- Haiti's coach Sebastien Migne has never stepped on the Haitian soil.
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