Haiti fans watch their team play against New Zealand in the first half of their friendly soccer match at Chase Stadium on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
The Haitian national team, which reached the World Cup for the first time in 52 years despite gang violence preventing a single home qualifying match, finally got the exuberant home crowd it so craved on Tuesday night in Fort Lauderdale.
More than 16,000 proud Haitian fans decked head to toe in red and blue, Haitian flags draped around their shoulders, rocked Inter Miami Stadium for a pre-World Cup friendly game against New Zealand.
It wasn’t Port-au-Prince, but it sure looked and sounded like it as they celebrated an emphatic 4-0 victory. The Haitian players danced on the field after the game and sprayed each other with water bottles.
“It was a pleasure to play at home today,” Haiti coach Sébastien Migné said, smiling. “For this World Cup [playing qualifying matches in Curaçao] we played before far too few Haitian fans. Unfortunately, we were unable to travel to the home country. That is precisely what I would have wanted, so that the fans could soak up these positive vibes and share in these powerful moments, since, after all, we pursue this profession specifically to share emotions.”
Fans waited out a pre-game weather delay and long lines to get into parking lots for a chance to see their beloved Grenadiers. They belted out their national anthem. Haitian music blared through the loudspeakers. When Ruben Providence scored to give the Haitians a 1-0 lead at the 12-minute mark, the stadium erupted.
The crowd got even louder when Lenny Joseph doubled the lead in the 51st minute and the cheers were deafening when Frantzdy Pierrot made it 3-0 in the 62nd minute. By the time Duke Lacroix scored the fourth goal, the Haitian fans were in full party mode.
Haiti forward Ruben Providence (15) celebrates after scoring a goal against New Zealand in the first half of their friendly soccer match at Chase Stadium on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Photo by Matias J. Ocner [email protected]
New Zealand defender Tim Payne had become a social media sensation in the days leading up to the match after an Argentine influencer got his followers to boost Payne’s profile as the World Cup’s “least known player”. Payne’s Instagram following splurged from under 5,000 to 4.6 million, and a few fans carried “Team Payne” posters at the stadium Tuesday night.
But there was no question who the majority of fans were there to see on this night, and they got the result they hoped for.
New Zealand coach Darren Bazeley was impressed with what he saw from Haiti.
“Haiti was very clinical, very ruthless in certain moments, and it’s a real harsh lesson for us, especially with England [friendly] coming up and then the World Cup games,” Bazelely said. “We had done our research, we knew Haiti were good, had some threats, strong, powerful, athletic and very skillful at times.”
He added that the Haitian fans injected their team with energy.
“The crowd was really good for them; when they started counterattacking and got the big crowd behind them, it probably gives them that impetus to go forward and get into good areas.”
Migné was encouraged by his team’s depth and spirit.
“The players were rewarded, rewarded for their commitment since the very start of our preparations, and for the way we have built this squad through healthy emulation and competition,” he said. “This was especially evident given the magnitude of the match, as we saw players come off the bench who certainly didn’t look out of place. Quite the opposite, in fact. This gives me many more options.
“And for the past two and a half years, the players have embraced this spirit of emulation—this form of internal competition. That is what top-level competition is all about. It is demanding.”
Haitian singer Rutshelle Guillaume, who lives in West Palm Beach, and actress/influencer Blondedy Ferdinand, a Miami resident, watched the game from a field suite and were giddy from the moment they arrived.
“This means everything for us, with everything that’s going on back home, and to be here today, it’s like a win-win situation for us,” Ferdinand said. “The flag. The people. It means the world to us to be here and for Haiti to be in the World Cup.”
Guillaume said: “We are so happy to be here after 52 years, making history. We are here to witness history and we are here to cheer them up, no matter what happens. We’re part of his historic moment, lucky to live in this generation and to be able to see this live.”
“This is amazing,” said Lionel “Ti Lionel” Benjamin Jr., the brother of the late Haitian artist Michael “Mikaben” Benjamin, who watched the game from a first floor suite alongside other Haitian artists inclduing Olivier Duret, Shabba and comedian Tonton Bicha. Benjamin, who flew in from Haiti and represents one of the team’s sponsors, Paryaj Lakay, said having only heard about the team’s 1974 debut at the World Cup and now being able “to live out our country’s team qualifying… and winning today,” is “a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”
Also watching proudly were six Haitian American teenagers from South Florida who play youth soccer and have been invited to Haiti youth national team camps. All but one were born in Haiti. They all feel a deep connection with the island and this World Cup team.
Matthew Delivrance, 15, plays for Inter Miami’s youth academy. Nohe Chevry, 16, plays for FC Cincinnati’s youth academy. Chevry’s brother, Liam, 14, plays for Springs. Fifteen-year-olds Noah Cianciulli and Gabriel Benjamin play for Fort Lauderdale United and Didier Gabriel, 16, plays for Wolves.
Front row left to right: Matthew Delivrance, 15, Gabriel Benjamin, 15, and Noah Cianciullu, 15, and back row left to right: Nohe Chevry, 16, Didier Gabriel, 16, and Liam Chevry, 14, react as they get ready to watch a friendly soccer match between Haiti and New Zealand at Chase Stadium on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Photo by Matias J. Ocner [email protected]
“It’s my dream to one day be part of the Haitian national team, so it makes me so proud to be here seeing them,” said Benjamin.
Delivrance added: “I’m very proud of what this team has done, to get through the tough times. It’s great for the culture and people of Haiti. I’m really proud to be Haitian and to be wearing this shirt and having a chance to see them play here.”
Despite the good mood after the match, the pregame was disorganized. Fans complained about tickets not scanning and others were unable to enter. A marketer for the Haitian Football Federation, former national team coach Wagneau Eloi, and journalists were among those unable to get in. Though he was eventually gifted a ticket, Eloi left in frustration and declined to comment.
Inside the stadium, however, it was konpa and horns as fans celebrated the team’s goals. When not stomping their feet or waving Haitian flags in excitement, they offered play-by-play commentary.
Albert Molayem, who is with Sport Global Management, SGM, the company that organized the match, says they’ve been working with the Federation for the past four years and they called them back to promote the friendlies.
“It’s a beautiful environment,” he said as the crowd roared.
Miami is home to the largest Haitian community outside of the country and this wasn’t lost of Molayem — not the history making moment of the team’s arrival for the World Cup after 52 years.
“We are so happy, because from now on we’re going to work with the Federation more,” he said. Singling out the fans, he said, “You can hear that; everyone is happy.”
“On Friday, we’ll do the other match and you know it will go even bigger than this,” he added, referring to the friendly vs. Peru at Nu Stadium, Inter Miami’s new home. Tickets for that match are available through TicketMaster.
“The most important thing is always the next match, and that next match is coming up fast, in just three days,” Migné said. “So, while they should certainly savor and appreciate this moment tonight, we must get right back to work tomorrow at 5 p.m. as we face a new challenge and a new mission, all with the ultimate goal of being fully prepared for the 13th.”
Haiti opens its World Cup campaign against Scotland in Boston on June 13, then plays Brazil June 19 in Philadelphia and Morocco June 24 in Atlanta.
This story was originally published June 2, 2026 at 10:37 PM.
Michelle Kaufman
Miami Herald
Miami Herald sportswriter Michelle Kaufman has covered 14 Olympics, six World Cups, Wimbledon, U.S. Open, NCAA Basketball Tournaments, NBA Playoffs, Super Bowls and has been the soccer writer and University of Miami basketball beat writer for 25 years. She was born in Frederick, Md., and grew up in Miami.
