On the eve of one of the most defining matches in Haitian sports history, the country’s top political leadership traveled to Massachusetts to rally the national men’s football team, the Grenadiers, ahead of their opening 2026 FIFA World Cup fixture against Scotland’s Tartan Team. Kickoff for the match, held at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, just outside Boston, is scheduled for 9:00 p.m. local Haiti and U.S. Eastern time on June 13, 2026.
Haitian Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé led the official delegation, which included Foreign Minister Raina Forbin and Minister for Haitians Living Abroad Kathia Verdier, for the morale-building visit with players and technical staff on Friday, June 12. The encounter was steeped in raw emotion and collective national pride, as Fils-Aimé delivered a unifying message of solidarity from both the Haitian government and the entire Haitian community — including millions of citizens and diaspora members around the globe.
The Prime Minister framed the team’s World Cup qualification as a watershed historic moment for the Caribbean nation, noting that the run to the tournament has already united Haitians across divides behind a shared national goal. He positioned the Grenadiers as far more than just a group of athletes, calling them a powerful symbol of hope, unity, and what the country can achieve against steep odds.
“You are much more than a football team. You are the face of Haitian youth who refuse to give up, who dare to dream, and who prove that, despite the difficulties, Haiti is capable of rising to the ranks of the world’s best nations,” Fils-Aimé told the squad. “You are hope, you are opportunity. You are an example; we are watching you and counting on you.”
Speaking after the Prime Minister, Foreign Minister Forbin extended her own congratulations to the team for achieving the unprecedented feat of qualifying for the World Cup. She highlighted the behind-the-scenes diplomatic and consular work that cleared logistical hurdles to enable Haiti’s participation in the global tournament, adding that the squad serves as a powerful showcase of the exceptional talent nurtured among Haitian youth.
For her part, Minister Verdier praised the team’s achievement as one that transcends the boundaries of sport. She noted that the Grenadiers’ journey has already become a source of inspiration for current and future generations of Haitians both at home and abroad.
In a gesture of gratitude for the government’s support, the entire squad presented Fils-Aimé with an official team jersey bearing the signatures of every player. The Haitian government used the occasion to reaffirm its full confidence in the national team, and issued a call to all Haitians, regardless of their location, to rally behind the Grenadiers during this historic milestone.
Closing his remarks, the Prime Minister emphasized the unifying power of the team’s moment on the world stage: “Together, as our Grenadiers are demonstrating today on the world stage, we can accomplish great things when we move forward united.”