Woodensky Pierre will be issued a visa to enter the United States, according to a source within the Haitian Football Federation who spoke with Caribbean Times Network on Wednesday.
The process has not yet been finalized, the source cautioned, but federation officials are confident the approval will come through in time for the 21-year-old defensive midfielder to join Haiti’s World Cup training camp in Florida.
Pierre is the only Haiti-based player on Les Grenadiers’ 26-man roster for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. His delayed arrival stems from sweeping U.S. visa restrictions imposed on Haitian nationals in June 2025 — restrictions that have complicated travel not just for the player, but for several federation staff members who are also still awaiting visa approvals, CTN has learned.
The Haitian Football Federation confirmed to The Haitian Times that an official passport — a document typically reserved for individuals traveling in a government capacity — was secured for Pierre to help navigate the additional administrative requirements triggered by the travel ban. Federation spokesperson Thecieux Jeanty told the outlet the process “could be completed at any moment.” CTN’s source within the federation echoed that assessment, though they stressed that nothing has been formally resolved.
Pierre has been training at Parc Sainte-Thérèse in Pétion-Ville while he waits. Haiti’s national team began its World Cup preparations on May 26 in Port St. Lucie, Florida, meaning Pierre has already missed the opening days of camp. Every session without him adds to the concern among supporters and federation insiders that his readiness for competitive play could be compromised.
The stakes are significant. The reigning Haitian Soccer League MVP led Violette Athletic Club to back-to-back league titles this season, capping a dominant campaign with a 2-0 victory over Baltimore SC in the championship final. He is the only player on the World Cup roster still competing domestically in Haiti, making his participation a source of particular pride for fans on the island.
“It’s good news, but the process hasn’t been completed,” James Louis-Charles, founder of the Pétion-Ville youth club F.C. Juvenat, told The Haitian Times. “We won’t be happy until we see him in Florida.” Louis-Charles, who lives in Manhattan, warned that the delay could affect Pierre’s preparation and playing time once the tournament begins.
Haiti is one of 19 countries subject to a blanket U.S. ban on both immigrant and non-immigrant visas. Although athletes competing in major international events are technically exempt, Pierre’s case required additional steps — including an official passport — that players based in Europe or North America did not. The situation has drawn attention to the uneven burden the restrictions place on Haitian athletes competing at home rather than abroad.
The disruptions extend beyond Pierre. CTN has confirmed that multiple Haitian Football Federation personnel — staff who would ordinarily travel with the team during a World Cup — have not yet received their visas. The delays threaten to leave Haiti’s support structure understaffed at one of the most consequential tournaments in the country’s sporting history.
This is not an isolated pattern. Earlier this year, six players from the Jamaica-based Mount Pleasant Football Academy were reportedly unable to travel to the United States for a Concacaf Champions Cup match against LA Galaxy due to visa complications affecting Haitian nationals, as reported by The Haitian Times.
Haiti is scheduled to face New Zealand in a friendly on June 2 in Fort Lauderdale and Peru on June 5 in Miami before moving its base to Stockton University in New Jersey on June 8. Les Grenadiers open their World Cup group stage against Scotland on June 13 in the Boston area. They will also face Brazil and Morocco.
For now, Pierre continues his individual work in Pétion-Ville. His federation says his visa is on the way. His supporters are watching — and waiting.
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