Haiti's national football team is still waiting for its only domestic-based player to secure a US visa, just weeks before the World Cup begins. Woodensky Pierre, a defensive midfielder for Violette AC, remains in Port-au-Prince, where an estimated 70% of the city is under gang control.
The rest of the 25-man squad plays professionally in England, France, Portugal, Canada, and the United States. This year marks only the second time Haiti has qualified for the World Cup, with their previous appearance in 1974. The Haitian football federation spokesperson, Thecieux Jeanty, noted that almost every player on the 1974 squad lived and played in Haiti, highlighting a significant shift.
US visas for Pierre and nearly a dozen federation officials have not yet been approved, as the Trump administration expands travel restrictions from countries including Haiti. Pierre continues training on a synthetic grass field in Pétion-Ville, an upscale area of Port-au-Prince, hoping to join his team as soon as possible.
Jeanty expressed hope that Pierre could secure a contract abroad after the World Cup, saying, 'I hope he doesn’t have to live in Haiti after the World Cup.' Pierre is from Cite Soleil, a seaside slum that has endured violence and hunger, with recent gang violence displacing over 5,300 people.
Haiti's squad arrived in Florida on Sunday, with training beginning Tuesday in Port St. Lucie. Warmup matches against New Zealand and Peru are scheduled before Haiti opens World Cup play against Scotland on June 13 in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
