Haiti's historic return to the World Cup
Woodensky Pierre, the sole Haitian national team player based in Haiti, has been granted a U.S. visa that will allow him to travel to Florida and join his teammates ahead of the tournament.
Pierre, a 23-year-old midfielder from the gang-controlled Cite Soleil district of Port-au-Prince, was seen waving to supporters as he left the capital for the airport, a moment that sparked cheers from a crowd of fans.
His journey to the World Cup has been marked by adversity. With the country’s stadiums deemed unsafe, Haiti was forced to host its home qualifiers in Curaçao, a neutral venue that nonetheless kept the team’s World Cup dreams alive.
The Haitian squad, making its second appearance in the tournament after a half-century absence, will play warm-up matches against New Zealand and Peru before opening its group stage against Scotland, Brazil and Morocco.
Coach praised Pierre’s resilience, noting that the player’s training in an upscale part of Port-au-Prince while awaiting his visa demonstrated both dedication and the broader challenges faced by Haitian athletes.
The visa approval not only fulfills a personal ambition for Pierre but also symbolizes a rare moment of optimism for a nation grappling with political instability and economic hardship.
Haiti’s soccer federation, which has been working closely with FIFA and international partners, welcomed the development and expressed confidence that the team will compete with pride on the world stage.