Haiti's soccer team, set to face Scotland on June 13, 2026, represents the nation at the World Cup for the first time since 1974. The team's 26 players embody the complexities and possibilities of Haiti and its diaspora, with only 10 born in Haiti and the rest from various countries including France, Canada, Switzerland, and the United States.
The team's qualification for the World Cup is a historic moment, exactly 222 years after revolutionary leader Jean Jacques Dessalines fought for independence. The players' stories capture the broader tale of Haitian migration, with some having access to elite soccer structures and others facing social and economic barriers.
The team's Franco-Haitian players, such as Duckens Nazon, have had opportunities in France's successful soccer system, while others, like Derrick Etienne Jr. and Duke Lacroix, have found pathways to professional sport in the US. The team's games will be an occasion for unity and celebration, with fans gathering across the diaspora to support Haiti.
