One of the most engaging stories in the lead up to the 2026 FIFA World Cup – the biggest one yet at 48 teams – is the return of the Haiti national football team, who are making their second appearance after being on the world stage just once before in 1974.
With them placed in the “group of death” with giants Brazil national football team, Morocco national football team and Scotland national football team, there is a determined sense of positivity about their underdog status. Yvon Severe of the Haitian FA stated: “It’s a dream come true and for the nation, the qualification of the team has brought huge joy.”
Their road to the World Cup was a difficult one and all qualifiers had to be held on neutral turf due to instability within their country. Despite this, the side was kept united by the togetherness of the camp, and by both players and officials who remained loyal and committed to the nation’s quest.
It’s thought that their qualification to the World Cup may also be linked with a period of structural reforms put in place by a FIFA appointed normalization committee, following a time of administrative mismanagement within their footballing bodies. Since then, both their men’s and women’s teams have made strong progress on the international stage.
While it is a fantastic achievement for the team, getting to the World Cup also presents difficulties for their supporters off the field as a significant number may be denied visas and be unable to make the trip to the USA.
Their opening game comes against Brazil and with regards to football and culture, it’s a very meaningful occasion for them as they will aim to make a statement on the international stage.
