For the first time in the nation’s modern history, Haiti has secured a spot at the FIFA World Cup, and on May 16, 2026, French head coach Sébastien Migné officially named the 26 players that will carry the hopes and pride of more than 12 million Haitians onto the global stage of the 2026 tournament.
This historic qualification marked a watershed moment for Haitian football, capping a dramatic qualifying campaign that saw the Grenadiers battle through tough Concacaf competition to earn their place at the expanded 48-team World Cup, co-hosted this year by Canada, the United States and Mexico from June 11 to July 19.
Migné’s final squad features players plying their trade across 12 different top leagues around the world, a reflection of the growing global footprint of Haitian football. Three goalkeepers made the cut: Johnny Placide of France’s SC Bastia, Alexandre Pierre of FC Sochaux (France), and Josué Duverger from Germany’s FC Cosmos Koblenz. The defensive line includes seven players: Carlens Arcus (Angers SCO, France), Wilguens Pauguain (SV Zulte Waregem, Belgium), Duke Lacroix (Colorado Springs, USA), Martin Experience (AS Nancy-Lorraine, France), JK Duverne (KAA Gent, Netherlands), Ricardo Ade (LDU Quito, Ecuador), Hannes Delcroix (FC Lugano, Switzerland), and Keeto Thermoncy (BSC Young Boys II, Switzerland).
In midfield, the squad brings together Leverton Pierre (FC Vizela, Portugal), Carl-Fred Sainthe (El Paso Locomotive FC, USA), Jean-Jacques Danley (Philadelphia Union, USA), Jeanricner Bellegarde (Wolverhampton Wanderers, United Kingdom), Pierre Woodenski (Violette AC, Haiti), and Dominique Simon (FC Tatran Prešov, Slovakia). Woodenski’s inclusion draws particular attention: he is the only player currently competing in Haiti’s domestic national league to earn a spot in the World Cup squad. Nine attackers round out the roster: Louicius Deedson (FC Dallas, USA), Ruben Providence (Almere City FC, Netherlands), Josué Casimir (AJ Auxerre, France), Derrick Etienne (Toronto FC, Canada), Wilson Isidor (Sunderland AFC, England), Duckens Nazon (Esteghlal FC, Iran), Frantzdy Pierrot (Çaykur Rizespor, Türkiye), Yassin Fortune (FC Vizela, Portugal), and Lenny Joseph (Ferencváros TC, Hungary).
Ahead of their World Cup opener, the 83rd-ranked Grenadiers will wrap up their preparation with two high-profile international friendlies in Florida. On June 2, they will face 85th-ranked New Zealand at Fort Lauderdale’s Chase Stadium, followed by a June 5 clash against 53rd-ranked Peru at Miami’s DRV PNK Stadium. These matches follow two prior warm-up outings: a narrow 0-1 loss to 44th-ranked Tunisia, and a hard-fought 1-1 draw against 75th-ranked Iceland that showcased the team’s growing cohesion.
Haiti has been drawn into Group C for the 2026 tournament, with three high-stakes matches scheduled across host cities in the United States. The Grenadiers will kick off their historic World Cup campaign on June 13 at Boston Stadium, facing Scotland – a side that returns to the World Cup after a 28-year drought, qualifying in dramatic fashion. Four days later on June 19, Haiti will take on five-time World Cup champions Brazil at Philadelphia Stadium, a legendary side that remains the only nation to have featured in every edition of the tournament. The group stage will conclude on June 24 at Atlanta Stadium, where Haiti will face Morocco, the 2022 World Cup semi-finalists and one of the top ranked teams in African football.
Haiti’s Minister of Youth and Sports Pythagore Dumas has welcomed the squad announcement, praising the inclusion of the domestic-based Woodenski as a testament to the growing strength of local Haitian football. Echoing the resilient spirit of the Haitian nation, Dumas emphasized that the team would not be satisfied with just participating in the global elite. “We will play this competition with our heads held high, just as our heroes did at Vertières in 1803, striving to push our limits as far as possible in this global event,” he said in a statement. The minister called on all Haitians, at home and abroad, to rally behind the Grenadiers, attend matches in large numbers, and share the unique passion of Haitian football across the world, noting that this public support will give the team extra energy to deliver strong performances on the pitch.