Haiti fans say excluded from first World Cup since 1974, with visa hurdles
Haiti's national team has qualified for the World Cup for the first time since 1974, but a large share of Haitian fans report being barred from stadium access after US, Canadian and Mexican visa requests were denied. The US Consulate in Port-au-Prince is operating with a 220-appointment-per-week cap, and FIFA has asked the host countries to open dedicated application windows.
Haiti's qualification for the 2026 World Cup — its first since the 1974 finals in Germany, secured via a 2-1 win over Honduras in the 26 May CONCACAF third-round tournament — sparked widespread celebration at home. But fan Jean-Marc Antoine, from the Croix-des-Bouquets neighbourhood of Port-au-Prince, told Al Jazeera that the US Consulate gave him a visa appointment 'for October 2027.' US State Department spokesperson Mark Stroh confirmed that Port-au-Prince consular operations are 'capped at 220 appointments per week depending on the security situation' and that 'priority is given to family-reunification applications.'
FIFA President Gianni Infantino said at a Friday press conference in Zurich that 'supporters of every nation participating in the World Cup deserve reasonable access' and called on the US, Canadian and Mexican governments to 'open tournament-specific dedicated application windows.' Canada's Immigration and Citizenship Minister Marc Miller said in Ottawa on Monday that additional staff would be assigned 'to prioritise Haitian applicants,' and Mexico's Foreign Minister Alicia Bárcena announced via Wednesday cabinet order that tourist-visa requirements for Haitian passport-holders are waived for six months.
Haiti Football Federation (FHF) Secretary-General Carlo Marcelin told Al Jazeera that 14 of the 26 men on the national squad still play professionally for European clubs, and that the federation has allocated a $4 million budget for 'fan support packages.' Atlantic Council Caribbean analyst Stephanie Wantanga said that 'the visa-access issue is not limited to sport tourism but reflects Haiti's long-standing international isolation.' Haiti opens its Group F campaign against the Netherlands at Toronto's BMO Field on 13 June 2026.
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