Miami friendlies set as Les Grenadiers fine-tune their WC2026 squad

Thirteen days before the World Cup kicks off, Les Grenadiers are in preparation mode with two high-profile friendlies locked in for South Florida. Haiti will face New Zealand on Tuesday, June 2, followed by Peru on Friday, June 5 — the latter at the newly opened NU Stadium, marking the first international friendly ever played at that venue. The Haitian Football Federation has been explicit about the symbolism: both matches are positioned in Miami to engage the large and passionate Haitian diaspora community in the area. "These two matches against New Zealand and Peru are part of a very intentional approach… Miami represents something deeper for us," said Karl-Philippe Alexis, head of marketing and communications for the FHF.

Coach Sébastien Migné's 26-man roster, unveiled May 15, is composed almost entirely of diaspora talent — players drawn from clubs across Europe, North America, South America and Asia — with only one domestic-league player included. Three MLS representatives headline the squad: Philadelphia Union midfielder Danley Jean Jacques, FC Dallas forward Don Deedson Louicius, and Toronto FC forward Derrick Etienne Jr.

Haiti open Group C on June 14 against Scotland in Boston, before facing Brazil and Morocco.