KLIK SAJA - Two nations making long-awaited returns to football's biggest stage will go head-to-head at Boston Stadium, Massachusetts, on Sunday when Haiti and Scotland open their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaigns.
Both Les Grenadiers and the Tartan Army enter Group C as underdogs, facing a daunting challenge alongside five-time world champions Brazil and reigning Africa Cup of Nations champions Morocco.
Haiti are set to make their first World Cup appearance in 52 years, with their primary objective being to improve on their debut campaign in West Germany in 1974, when they suffered three consecutive defeats and conceded 14 goals.
Les Grenadiers secured qualification for the expanded 48-team tournament after recording six wins and two draws in 10 CONCACAF qualifying matches.
They successfully navigated two group stages and booked their place at the World Cup thanks to back-to-back victories over Costa Rica (1-0) and Nicaragua (2-0) in November 2025.
Their achievement becomes even more remarkable considering the challenges faced off the pitch.
Due to the ongoing security situation in Haiti, the national team has been forced to play all of its home matches approximately 800 kilometers away in Curacao.
In fact, head coach Sebastien Migne has not set foot in Haiti since taking charge 18 months ago.
Ranked 83rd in the FIFA World Rankings and the second-lowest-ranked nation at the 2026 World Cup, Haiti failed to win either of their first two friendlies this year, losing 1-0 to Tunisia and drawing 1-1 with Iceland in March.
However, they responded with an impressive 4-0 victory over New Zealand just over a week ago.
Despite that performance, Migne's side concluded their preparations with a narrow 2-1 defeat to Peru last weekend.
Haiti know that securing all three points against Scotland could be crucial if they are to keep alive their hopes of reaching the World Cup knockout stage for the first time in their history.
Scotland, meanwhile, will be making their ninth appearance at a FIFA World Cup this summer.
Interestingly, they once again find themselves in a group containing both Brazil and Morocco—two nations that contributed to Scotland finishing bottom of their group at the 1998 World Cup, which remains their most recent appearance in the tournament.
