With 200,000 Haitians living in Brazil, the World Cup duel takes on special meaning

Brazil x Haiti: community of around 200,000 Haitians strengthens ties between the countries
Brazil and Haiti face each other this Friday (19) for the 2026 World Cup, but the relationship between the two countries goes far beyond 90 minutes on the field. Currently, around 200,000 Haitians live in Brazil, many of them already naturalized, forming one of the largest foreign communities in the country.
The departure arouses mixed feelings among those who left Haiti in search of new opportunities and built a new life in Brazilian territory. For many, the duel represents the meeting between two homelands.
In a municipal school in São Paulo focused on educating young people and adults, for example, almost half of the foreign students are Haitians. Of the 834 students enrolled, 475 are from Haiti.
The World Cup has a special meaning for this community. Haiti's participation in the 2026 World Cup marks the team's return to football's main competition after more than five decades.
READ ALSO:
Haiti: what to expect from the team that will face Brazil this Friday (19)
Brazil It is also part of Haitian culture. Many immigrants report that they grew up rooting for Brazil, watching World Cups and celebrating the team's achievements.
In Rio de Janeiro, Haitians who arrived in the country fleeing political crises and violence say that the expectation for the confrontation is accompanied by a feeling of division. If on the one hand there is the joy of seeing Haiti again in a World Cup, on the other there remains the historical affection for Brazil.
With 200,000 Haitians living in Brazil, the World Cup duel takes on special meaning
Reproduction/TV Globo
The legacy of the Peace Game
The closeness between the two countries was also strengthened by a remarkable football episode. In 2004, the Brazilian team competed in the so-called "Peace Game" in Port-au-Prince, a friendly held during the UN mission in Haiti, led by Brazil in the midst of a period of political instability in the Caribbean country.
At the time, Brazil won 6-0, but the result was in the background. The event became a symbol of friendship between the two peoples and helped to consolidate the strong identification of Haitians with the Brazilian team.
In 2004, the Brazilian team played in Port-au-Prince in the so-called "Peace Game", a friendly held during the UN mission in Haiti
Reproduction/TV Globo
A reunion that goes beyond the World Cup
Now, 22 years later, Brazil and Haiti once again share the same lawn, this time in a World Cup. And for thousands of Haitians who live in Brazilian cities, the confrontation has a meaning that goes far beyond football.
Brazil x Haiti: around 200 thousand Haitians live in the country today
Reproduction/TV Globo
Follow the 2026 World Cup on ge:
2026 World Cup Simulator
2026 World Cup Calendar: see dates and times for all games
RESULTS: check out the World Cup table
Power Ranking: which team arrives stronger for the World Cup?

Source: G1