Woodensky Pierre, the only player from Haiti’s national football squad currently based in the Caribbean nation, has been granted a United States visa, allowing him to travel and join his teammates for the upcoming FIFA World Cup, an official confirmed on Tuesday.

Thecieux Jeanty, spokesperson for the Haitian Football Federation, told The Associated Press that Pierre was slated to leave for Florida on Tuesday.

Jeanty described the development as a deeply emotional moment for Pierre, saying, “It was a great moment for him, a moment of happiness.”

Earlier, there were concerns that Pierre might miss the World Cup due to tightened travel restrictions imposed by the administration of US President Donald Trump, which had extended limitations to several countries, including Haiti.

However, with his visa now approved, Pierre has received clearance to travel to the US and take part in this summer’s global football tournament.

Pierre’s teammates had reached Florida last week to start their World Cup preparations. This year’s qualification marks only the second time in history that Haiti has earned a spot in the tournament, with their last appearance on football’s grandest stage coming more than fifty years ago.

While awaiting visa approval, Pierre continued his training sessions with local footballers in a well-known district of Port-au-Prince.

Due to safety concerns, the main stadium in Haiti’s capital was declared unfit for use, compelling the team to play its home World Cup qualifying matches in Curaçao.

Pierre hails from Cite Soleil, a seaside neighbourhood that has long faced severe challenges of violence and hunger, often under the control of powerful gangs. The area has witnessed repeated episodes of brutal attacks and sexual violence, and recent unrest has displaced over 5,300 residents, according to the latest report by the United Nations’ International Organization for Migration.

Haiti is scheduled to play two warm-up matches ahead of the tournament — against New Zealand on Tuesday and Peru on Friday. The national team will kick off its World Cup campaign on June 13 in Foxborough, Massachusetts, where they face Scotland.

Subsequent group-stage fixtures include a match against five-time champions Brazil on June 19 in Philadelphia, followed by a clash with Morocco on June 24 in Atlanta.

With 32 teams advancing to the knockout stages, Haiti will be hopeful of moving beyond the group phase for the first time in their World Cup history.