Haitian soccer player Woodensky Pierre has received a US visa, allowing him to travel and participate in the upcoming World Cup. This confirmation was provided by Thecieux Jeanty, spokesperson for Haiti’s soccer federation, who announced that Pierre was set to leave for Florida on Tuesday.

Relief for Pierre and the Team

Jeanty expressed the significance of this news for Pierre, describing it as "a moment of happiness." There had been concerns that Pierre might miss the tournament due to the travel restrictions imposed by the Trump administration, which affected several countries, including Haiti. However, with the visa granted, Pierre can now join his teammates who arrived in Florida last week to begin their World Cup preparations.

Haiti's World Cup Journey

This World Cup marks only the second time Haiti has qualified for the event, with their previous appearance occurring over 50 years ago. While waiting for his visa, Pierre trained with local players in Port-au-Prince, as the team’s main stadium was deemed unsafe for use. Consequently, Haiti hosted its World Cup qualifiers in Curaçao.

Pierre hails from Cite Soleil, a neighborhood plagued by violence and poverty, which has recently seen significant unrest. Haiti will play warm-up matches against New Zealand and Peru before beginning their World Cup campaign on June 13 against Scotland in Foxborough, Massachusetts. Following that, they will face Brazil on June 19 in Philadelphia and Morocco on June 24 in Atlanta, aiming to advance beyond the group stages.