Returning to the World Cup finals after their first and so far only participation in 1974, Haiti tends to be the easiest match for Brazil in the group stage.
The Caribbean team is ranked 84th in the FIFA (International Football Association) team rankings, ahead of only New Zealand (86th) among the teams already guaranteed for the 2026 World Cup.
Haiti’s qualification for the World Cup came amid a scenario of social chaos in Port-au-Prince, the country’s capital, due to gang violence.
These groups, accused of murder, rape, looting and kidnapping, have caused a serious humanitarian crisis in the poorest country in the Americas, which is already suffering from chronic political instability.
The situation has deteriorated further since early 2024, when gangs forced then-Prime Minister Ariel Henry to resign.
The Haitian national team was forced to play its CONCACAF (Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Football) qualifiers on the island of Curaçao, which also qualifies for the World Cup, after gangs took control of the Silvio Castor Stadium in Port-au-Prince.
In Silvio Castor, the Brazilian national team played a friendly match against the host team in August 2004, in the so-called “peace game”, which was aimed at disarming the local population.
Ronaldinho Gaucho scored three goals in the 6-0 win. Roger (twice) and Nilmar completed the scoring for the Brazilian national team, led by Carlos Alberto Parreira.
The two teams have faced each other twice in history, in April 1974, in a friendly match in Brasilia in preparation for that year’s World Cup, and Brazil won 4-0, with goals from Paulo César Cajo, Rivelino, Marinho Chagas and Edu.
They faced each other again in a group stage match at the 2016 Copa America, in Orlando, in the United States. This time the Brazilian team won 7-1. Philippe Coutinho scored three goals, and Renato Augusto scored two more. Gabigol and Lucas Lima completed the scoring for Brazil.
En route to the CONCACAF qualifiers, Haiti finished second in the first group stage, behind Curaçao, with three wins – against Saint Lucia, Barbados and Aruba – and one defeat, against Curaçao.
In the second group stage, they finished first, ahead of Honduras, Costa Rica and Nicaragua with three wins, two draws and only one defeat.
The most prominent feature of the team is the experienced striker Dawkins Nazon (31 years old), the top scorer in the CONCACAF qualifiers with six goals in ten matches.
Having spent time at Wolves’ academy and now at Esteghlal Tehran in Iran, he is the Haitian team’s second-highest scorer with 44 goals, behind only Emmanuel Sanon with 47 goals.
In the 1974 edition, the Haitian team did not achieve any victory, as it lost to Italy (3×1), Poland (7×0) and Argentina (4×1). The only two goals Haiti scored in the World Cup were scored by Sanon.
X-rays
nation: Haiti
Union: CONCACAF (confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean association football)
emphasis: Dawkins Nazon, 31, striker
Participations in the World Cup: 1- Best position: 15th place in 1974
Performance in qualifying: 66.6% (6V, 2E, 2D)