Haiti is in the World Cup after a half-century drought
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Louicius Don Deedson of Haiti shoots to score during a June 22 match with the U.S. Photo: Sebastian Frej/Getty Images
For the first time since 1974, Haiti is going to the World Cup.
The big picture: Most Haitians weren't even alive during their team's last appearance in one of the world's biggest sports-and-culture moments.
- "It's a once in a lifetime event for us. I'm so hyped right now," says Marvens Joseph, a Haitian friend of mine who lives in Florida with his family.
- His group chats are lighting up with friends reveling in the excitement and debating strategies for getting tickets to a match.
Why it matters: Amid a humanitarian crisis in Haiti, and rising anti-immigrant rhetoric in the U.S., it's especially meaningful to participate in something positive on the global stage.
- "Haiti often gets forgotten when it comes to big events. The only time we see Haiti mentioned is for bad news," Marvens says. "We don't have a lot of opportunities to show our talents."
- "It means a lot to us. We see people standing up and saying there's hope for Haiti, we can still accomplish great things in this world," says Ansly Pierre, another Haitian friend living in the U.S.
Catch up quick: Soccer is by far the most popular sport in Haiti.
- That's in part because it can thrive without a ton of infrastructure. "We play on concrete, we play on asphalt, we play on dirt, we play on grass. When we didn't have soccer balls, we would make balls out of socks. We would even play with plastic bottles," Marvens tells me.
But in the World Cup, Haitians usually cheer for Brazil or Argentina — because their own team is never there.
- When Brazilian, Argentinian or Haitian national teams are playing, people come together — at least for a little bit, Marvens says. Protests pause. Unrest in the streets quiets to nothing. Everyone's watching the match.
As Haitian fans gear up for this World Cup, national memories from their 1974 appearance loom large.
- Haiti played Italy, whose goalkeeper, Dino Zoff, held the record for the most minutes of play without conceding a goal.
- A Haitian player, Emmanuel Sanon, broke that streak.
- "Growing up, I'd always hear stories about Haiti's World Cup journey in 1974. Living our own moment will be indescribable," says Esnold Jure, another friend who grew up in Haiti. He's now a policy analyst living in the Washington, D.C., area, and host of "Meeting the Moment, The Podcast."
The intrigue: In a Hollywood-worthy twist, Haiti clinched its 2026 World Cup spot on Nov. 18 — which happens to be a national holiday marking the decisive battle in its war for independence from France.
- "Haiti has an incredible history. We fought one of the biggest armies and won. That was an underdog story, too," Marvens says.
The bottom line: Haitians everywhere are eager to change the narrative. "Every movement starts somewhere, and I believe this can be our moment," Esnold says.
A note from Axios executive editor Kate Marino: I met Marvens, Ansly and Esnold through my volunteer work with the English in Mind Institute (EIM), a Haitian-led school for adults in Port-au-Prince that teaches English and leadership skills. I serve alongside Marvens and Esnold on EIM's board of directors.
