Overview:
Haiti unveiled its remaining 26-player roster for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, that includes a squad composed virtually solely of diaspora expertise, aside from one home league participant. Veteran goalkeeper and captain Johny Placide leads a workforce from golf equipment throughout Europe, North America and past.
MIAMI — Haiti’s males’s nationwide soccer workforce, Les Grenadiers, will arrive on the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a roster formed virtually solely with gamers residing exterior the nation.
Head coach Sébastien Migné unveiled Friday his remaining 26-man squad for Haiti’s first World Cup look in 52 years, choosing gamers from golf equipment in Europe, North America, South America and Asia — with just one participant from Haiti’s home league making the workforce. His choice is a narrative that started with the qualifiers.
“It is a particular second for the gamers. Enjoying at a World Cup is the supreme reward for his or her work,” Migné stated throughout a digital press convention hosted by the Haitian Soccer Federation (FHF).
“It’s a symbolic second earlier than any main competitors — particularly a World Cup long-awaited by Haiti after 52 years of absence.”
Migné largely stayed loyal to the core group of twenty-two gamers that carried Haiti via qualifying, reflecting the coach’s emphasis on continuity and chemistry. The roster displays Haiti’s continued reliance on diaspora expertise, a longstanding actuality for the nationwide workforce. Aside from midfielder Woodensky Pierre from Haiti’s Violette Athletic Membership, all gamers developed overseas, primarily in France, Belgium, England, Portugal, the US and Canada.
Les Grenadiers’ squad consists of three goalkeepers, eight defenders, seven midfielders and eight forwards, with a median age of 24.
This era is especially essential for the way forward for Haitian soccer. The nation has by no means had a pool of a lot younger expertise enjoying at such a excessive degree on the identical workforce.
Among the many notable additions after the qualifiers are midfielder Pierre, who joined the workforce in March friendlies, ahead Wilson Isidor of the English Premier League membership Sunderland A.F.C., and first-time call-ups ahead Lenny Joseph and midfielder Dominique Simon, who additionally play in Europe for top-tier golf equipment Ferencvárosi TC in Hungary and FC Tatran Prešov in Slovakia, respectively.
Pierre’s inclusion is considered as a major achievement for native soccer, particularly as Haiti’s nationwide championship continues to battle with monetary instability and gang violence.
For Violette AC, Pierre’s choice may additionally carry financial rewards via FIFA’s membership compensation program, which pays home golf equipment for releasing gamers to the match.
Movies circulating on social media quickly after the announcement confirmed Pierre and his teammates celebrating the midfielder’s choice.
“Wow, wow, wow! That is our time,” they screamed, carrying their shirts, leaping, clapping and high-fiving with drinks on the desk. “We’re going to make it lovely.”
Haiti’s 26-man 2026 FIFA World Cup roster
| Participant | Common Membership | Nation |
| Goalkeepers | ||
| Johny Placide | SC Bastia | France |
| Alexandre Pierre | FC Sochaux-Montbéliard | France |
| Josué Duverger | Cosmos Koblenz | Germany |
| Defenders | ||
| Carlens Arcus | Angers SCO | France |
| Jean-Kévin Duverne | KAA Gent | Belgium |
| Hannes Delcroix | FC Lugano | Switzerland |
| Duke Lacroix | Colorado Springs Switchbacks | United States |
| Martin Expérience | AS Nancy Lorraine | France |
| Wilguens Paugain | SV Zulte Waregem | Belgium |
| Ricardo Adé | LDU Quito | Ecuador |
| Keeto Thermoncy | BSC Younger Boys | Switzerland |
| Midfielders | ||
| Jean Ricner Bellegarde | Wolverhampton Wanderers | England |
| Josué Casimir | AJ Auxerre | France |
| Danley Jean-Jacques | Philadelphia Union | United States |
| Leverton Pierre | FC Vizela | Portugal |
| Dominique Simon | FC Tatran Prešov | Slovakia |
| Carl Fred Sainté | El Paso Locomotive | United States |
| Woodensky Pierre | Violette AC | Haiti |
| Forwards | ||
| Derrick Etienne Jr. | Toronto FC | Canada |
| Wilson Isidor | Sunderland A.F.C. | England |
| Lenny Joseph | Ferencvárosi TC | Hungary |
| Don Deedson Louicius | FC Dallas | United States |
| Duckens Nazon | Esteghlal F.C. | Iran |
| Frantzdy Pierrot | Çaykur Rizespor | Turkey |
| Ruben Windfall | Almere Metropolis FC | Netherlands |
| Yassin Fortuné | FC Vizela | Portugal |
An sudden, but well-earned, qualification
Migné’s announcement marks one other milestone in one of the crucial inconceivable achievements in Haitian sports activities historical past. Les Grenadiers certified for the World Cup regardless of by no means enjoying a qualifier in Haiti due to the nation’s worsening safety disaster, which has left armed gangs controlling a lot of Port-au-Prince, vandalized the nation’s sole nationwide stadium and made internet hosting worldwide matches too harmful to threat.
As an alternative, Les Grenadiers performed “residence” matches in Curaçao, the Dutch Caribbean island, whereas navigating instability surrounding the FHF, journey challenges and restricted sources. Underneath Frenchman Migné, who grew to become head coach in June 2024, nevertheless, Haiti emerged as one in all Concacaf’s greatest surprises — securing solely its second World Cup berth after its historic 1974 look in West Germany.
Haiti’s remaining stage of preparations will start Might 24 in South Florida, the place the workforce will maintain coaching camp earlier than friendlies in opposition to the New Zealand nationwide workforce on June 2 at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale and Peru at Nu Stadium in downtown Miami.
“These matches will enable us to see the gamers in motion and make the required changes wanted for cohesion and effectiveness forward of our World Cup debut on June 13,” Migné stated.
Coach Sébastien Migné’s Profession Timeline
Sébastien Migné, 53, performed professionally for 4 golf equipment between 1989 and 2002.
He started his teaching profession within the 2010s, primarily as an assistant and youth-team coach,
earlier than taking up senior nationwide workforce roles throughout Africa and, later, Haiti.
2024–Current
Haiti Nationwide Workforce — Head Coach
Certified Haiti for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
2022–2024
Cameroon Nationwide Workforce — Assistant Supervisor
Served in the course of the Qatar World Cup, the place Cameroon defeated Brazil 1-0 within the group stage.
2021
Marumo Gallants — Coach
Coached the South African top-tier membership.
2019–2020
Equatorial Guinea Nationwide Workforce — Head Coach
Led the nationwide workforce as head coach.
2018–2019
Kenya Nationwide Workforce — Head Coach
Nominated for CAF Males’s Nationwide Workforce of the 12 months.
2017–2018
DR Congo Nationwide Workforce — Head Coach
Served as head coach of the senior nationwide workforce.
2016–2017
Togo Nationwide Workforce — Head Coach
Landed his first main managerial position as head coach of Togo.
2013–2015
DR Congo Nationwide Workforce — Assistant Coach
Labored as assistant coach with the senior nationwide workforce.
2013
DR Congo U20 Workforce — Coach
Certified the workforce for its first continental championships.
1989–2002
Skilled Enjoying Profession
Performed professionally for 4 golf equipment earlier than transitioning into teaching.
A world displaying that transcends soccer
For a lot of Haitians, at residence and overseas, the World Cup represents excess of sports activities.
Because the nation continues to grapple with gang violence, political instability and financial hardship, Les Grenadiers have develop into a uncommon supply of nationwide unity and satisfaction.
“I count on the nation’s satisfaction to shine via Les Grenadiers, able to fly the blue and crimson excessive on soccer’s greatest stage,” stated Jean-Marcel Moïse, a Haitian fan based mostly in Margate, Florida.
Migné stated Haiti is not going to journey to the match merely hoping to take part.
“Attempting to win a match or earn at the least a degree wouldn’t be bold sufficient,” the coach stated. “We’re life like about our probabilities, however now we have a workforce able to competing, as seen in current video games.”
Sports activities analyst Kervens Mérisema believes Haiti’s qualification marketing campaign already proved the workforce can exceed expectations.
“Not possible will not be Haitian,” Mérisema stated throughout a livestream for AyiboPost Sports on Fb.
“We count on to see a Haitian workforce decided to shock the world as they did in the course of the qualifiers, when nobody besides the workforce believed they might qualify.”