Once praised for its cultural richness, opulence, and the innate heroism of its people, Haiti now more often makes international headlines for poverty, violence, and chronic instability. Les Grenadiers’ qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup offers a rare opportunity to change that narrative. More importantly, it gives the Haitian government a chance to make football [known as soccer in the United States]—and sports more broadly—an essential pillar of its foreign policy toolkit.
“Football is apolitical,” claims FIFA. Yet, the reality is starkly different. First, everything is political. Second, leaders throughout history have used sports, particularly football, to advance political priorities.
More than 2,000 years ago, the Chinese played Cuju (kick-ball) for entertainment and social bonding, while soldiers practiced it for military training. The Mesoamerican communities used ball games for dispute resolution, among other purposes. In Ancient Greece, kings from warring city-states established the Olympic Truce to allow athletes to participate safely in what’s now known today as the Olympic Games. In modern times, Edson Arantes do Nascimento, known as Pelé, the king of football, never played in Europe because President Jânio Quadros officially declared him a “national treasure”—his presence helped keep a turbulent Brazil united. In 2004, the United Nations organized the Game for Peace, bringing Brazil’s star-studded national team to Port-au-Prince to play Haiti in support of stabilization efforts following years of violence.
More recently, the Gulf states—primarily the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar and Saudi Arabia—have used sports to diversify their oil-dependent economies and soft power. The UAE bought English Premier League club Manchester City in 2008 for $360 million. Qatar disbursed around $131 million to acquire the French Ligue 1 team Paris Saint-Germain. In addition to purchasing Newcastle, another English top-flight club, the Saudis have invested over a billion dollars to bring players such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema to their professional soccer league. These efforts have not only enhanced these countries’ global image but have also transformed them into influential diplomatic partners to Western powers on critical international issues.
These examples show that while football entertains, politicians have long leveraged its popularity and ability to enthrall hearts and minds as an effective political and diplomatic tool.
Today, few events can provide the FIFA World Cup’s unique global exposure. Therefore, Haiti should leverage its participation and a tool that has worked for over 3,000 years to rebrand itself.
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Haiti has earned its place on the world stage. Now policymakers must ensure it stays there—by harnessing football not only as a source of pride, but as a strategic diplomatic tool. A move that will help the country capitalize on the socio-economic opportunities that “the beautiful game” can offer.
Please read the rest of the Op-Ed via the Haitian Times here.