Haiti faces Peru at Nu Stadium on Friday in final ‘home’ World Cup warmup
Haitian soccer fans, still elated after Les Grenadiers’ resounding 4-0 win over New Zealand in Fort Lauderdale on Tuesday, will have another opportunity to see their World Cup team on Friday against Peru at Nu Stadium in Miami, the final warmup match before the tournament kicks off next week.
Friday’s match at Inter Miami’s new stadium will also give Haiti head coach Sébastien Migné a final opportunity to evaluate lineups and tactics before Les Grenadiers face Scotland, Brazil and Morocco in the World Cup group stage.
Migné was thrilled to see the turnout from the Haitian diaspora for Tuesday’s game and hopes an equally enthusiastic crowd shows up Friday to energize his team, which was forced to play all its World Cup qualifying matches away from home due to crime and instability on the island.
“It was a pleasure to play at home,” Migné said, smiling, after Tuesday’s game. “It’s fantastic when you play professional football to share emotions with your team. I hope it will be a full stadium [Friday], I know maybe with some Latinos, but with a lot of Haitians, too, with a good atmosphere.”
The coach was encouraged by what he saw against New Zealand, particularly the depth of the roster and unity among the players.
“I was looking for answers from them, and this gives me many more options for the future,” Migné said. “If we hope to reach the Round of 16, we certainly won’t get there relying on just 11 players. It’s going to require a much broader squad.”
Haiti’s four goals were scored by four different players: Ruben Providence, Lenny Joseph, Frantzdy Pierrot and Duke Lacroix.
The coach stressed the importance of the bench in a tournament such as the World Cup.
“There will also be finishers, players coming off the bench during the match; we can make up to five substitutions in official games, so, essentially, we are expanding our possibilities, particularly on the offensive front” he said. “We have various assets at our disposal, and there will be a great deal of pressure during the World Cup.”
He commented on the fact that it’s been 52 years since Haiti last qualified, and there are still a lot of unanswered questions. “Consequently, in terms of emotional stress, a lot could happen. So, it’s good to have multiple options available to us. I’m pleased because today we demonstrated that we can count on the entire squad.”
He noted that one of the players, Everton, had a minor scare during the warmup. He is returning to the pitch following knee surgery.
“We are bringing him back gradually, 45 minutes at a time, so that he’ll be ready to play a full match in three days,” Migné said. “That’s the plan. In the meantime, his stand-in, Alex, demonstrated his quality. That is precisely what we’ve been building over the last two and a half years: we are starting to assemble a squad with real depth.
“We’re going to remain measured; we won’t get carried away. There will be a great deal to manage, and every match tells its own story — each one will be a different tale.”
The Haitian team will have its full roster on Friday, as Olivier Woodensky Pierre, the only member of team who lives in Haiti, received his visa and arrived in South Florida on Tuesday night.
Haiti and Peru are meeting for the fourth time, with the South Americans having won all four games.
Peru players to watch include goalkeeper Pedro Gallese, defender Oliver Sonne, midfielders Erick Noriega and Yoshimar Yotun, and attackers Adrián Ugarriza and Bassco Soyer. Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder Kenji Cabrera is also on the roster. The team has been training at Palmer Trinity school the past few days.
Friday’s game kicks off at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster.
World Cup Tickets for Veterans, First Responders
FIFA, Bank of America and Veteran Tickets Foundation (Vet Tix) have committed to provide 4,547 World Cup tickets in various categories, including the semi-final and final, to U.S. military veterans, current military personnel, first responders and their families.
“At FIFA, we believe football is far more than just a game, it is a powerful force for good,” said FIFA President Gianni Infantino. “As the United States marks its 250th anniversary during this historic tournament, we are proud to work alongside Bank of America, the Official Bank Sponsor of the FIFA World Cup 2026, and Vet Tix to help ensure veterans and military families across the country can be part of the greatest global sports tournament ever.”
As part of the initiative, Bank of America, Vet Tix and FIFA are contributing $2.25 million to distribute match tickets across all 11 Host Cities in the United States. Tickets will be made available for all stages of the FIFA World Cup 2026, from the group stage through to the final, with 250 tickets being set aside for U.S. Men’s National Team matches during the tournament in honor of America’s 250th anniversary. Tickets for all matches held in the United States will be made available through Vet Tix later this week.
FIFA helps refurbish Miami school field
Infantino on Wednesday participated in the inauguration of community field refurbishing in Miami as part of the World Cup legacy. He said the project was “exactly what FIFA stands for”.
The park is at the KIPP Miami Public Schools North Campus and serves more than 1,200 students. The partnership between FIFA Foundation USA, KIPP Miami Public Schools and Gumball 3000 Foundation aims to expand opportunities for young people through sport, education and community engagement.
FIFA legend Maxi Rodriguez and FIFA Global Fan Ambassador Adriana Lima attended the event.