US grants visa to Haitian soccer player to join team for World Cup
🇺🇸 The U.S. government has granted a visa to Woodensky Pierre, the sole member of Haiti's national soccer team residing in Puerto Rico, to join his teammates for the World Cup.
✈️ Pierre is scheduled to travel from Puerto Rico to Florida on Tuesday to begin preparations with the squad.
🏆 This marks Haiti's second qualification for the FIFA World Cup, with their previous appearance occurring over half a century ago.
⚠️ The team's stadium in Port-au-Prince was deemed too dangerous, forcing Haiti to play its home qualifiers in Curaçao.
📍 Pierre resides in Cite Soleil, a neighborhood in Port-au-Prince that has faced significant challenges including hunger and gang violence.
🤝 While teammates arrived last week, Pierre had been training with local players while awaiting his visa approval.
⚽ Haiti will play warmup matches against New Zealand on Tuesday and Peru on Friday before the tournament begins.
🏴 The team opens World Cup play on June 13 in Foxborough, Massachusetts, against Scotland.
🇧🇷 Haiti will face five-time champion Brazil on June 19 in Philadelphia during the tournament.
🇲🇦 Morocco will be Haiti's opponent on June 24 in Atlanta for their final scheduled World Cup match.
- The U.S. government granted a visa to Woodensky Pierre, the only member of Haiti's national soccer team residing in Puerto Rico, enabling his participation in the World Cup.
- Haiti has qualified for the World Cup for the second time, marking a significant achievement on the sport's biggest stage after more than half a century since their last appearance.
- Teammates have already arrived in Florida to begin preparations ahead of warmup matches against New Zealand and Peru.
- The team is scheduled to open World Cup play on June 13 against Scotland in Foxborough, Massachusetts, followed by matches against Brazil and Morocco later in the tournament.
- The team's stadium in Haiti's capital was considered too dangerous, forcing Haiti to play its 'home' World Cup qualifiers in Curaçao instead.
- Pierre is from Cite Soleil, a seaside neighborhood that has long struggled with hunger and gang violence, highlighting severe safety concerns within the country.