* Coach Sébastien Migné has admitted his team are in for a “huge challenge” but insists the underdogs have everything to gain
* Returning to the World Cup for the first time since 1974, Haiti began their campaign with a narrow 1-0 defeat to Scotland
Maravi Express
Haiti head coach Sébastien Migné has admitted his team are in for a “huge challenge” when they face five-time world champions Brazil tonight tonight from 02h30 CAT, but insists the underdogs have everything to gain in their FIFA World Cup™ 2026 Group C encounter.
Haiti, returning to the World Cup for the first time since 1974, began their campaign with a narrow 1–0 defeat to Scotland. John McGinn’s first-half strike proved the difference, although Haiti came close to salvaging a point late on when Frantzdy Pierrot headed just wide in the 85th minute.
The lone goal by John McGinn
Now they turn their attention to Brazil, a team steeped in history and title success, in a fixture that would send shockwaves across Haiti if an upset were to occur.
A a press conference on Thursday, Migné stressed the need for greater intensity against the South Americans: “We will need to work harder than we did against Scotland.
“Against Brazil, we have nothing to lose and everything to gain. It has been 52 years since Haiti last appeared at a World Cup, and now we are facing one of the greatest teams in the world.”
He added that the experience itself was a proud moment for the nation: “It is a privilege to be here, and we hope to make Haitian supporters proud.”
Despite the opening loss, Migné insisted Haiti’s belief remains intact, arguing that their performance against Scotland showed they belong on football’s biggest stage.
Sébastien Migné
“We may not have beaten Scotland, but we proved we deserve to be here,” he said. “Our goal has not changed. We want to compete, show our quality, and hopefully give ourselves a chance of progressing, even as a third-placed team.”
Looking ahead to the Brazil clash, he admitted the scale of the occasion back home would be enormous, saying: “If we win this match, it would be absolute madness in Haiti.
“Being Haitian means facing difficult times, but football gives us dreams — and this is exactly the kind of dream: playing Brazil at a World Cup.”
Against Scotland at Boston Stadium, Haiti had a valiant performance, finishing with 15 shots, the most in Group C, while also tying Brazil for most touches in the opposition’s box (22), when they drew 1-1 with Morocco.
Defender Hannes Delcroix delivered a standout performance and completed all 66 of his attempted passes against Scotland, the most passes completed by a Haitian in a FIFA World Cup match.
The meeting presents a fourth overall and first at a FIFA World Cup between the nations in which Brazil claimed victories in all three previous encounters.
As for Morocco, who face Scotland from midnight, head into their second group-stage clash with a clear objective: secure their first victory and strengthen their chances of advancing to the knockout stage.
The Atlas Lions opened their campaign with a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Brazil, a result that showcased their resilience but left them with work to do in a tightly contested group.
With Scotland already sitting on three points, the upcoming encounter has taken on added significance with head coach Mohamed Ouahbi striking a measured tone ahead of the fixture — emphasising the need for focus and realism despite the positives from the opening match.
“We had to move on from the Brazil game and turn the page,” Ouahbi said. “The excitement? Just look at the table. Scotland are ahead of us. They have three points and we have one. We still need to do better.”
His remarks underline a pragmatic approach within the Moroccan camp, where attention has quickly shifted from performance to points.
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While the draw against Brazil offered encouragement, Ouahbi is keen to ensure his players remain grounded and motivated by the group standings: “We look at the standings to keep ourselves grounded.”
Morocco’s blend of technical quality and tactical discipline will again be tested against a Scotland side buoyed by their winning start. For the North Africans, the equation is straightforward: convert promise into victory or risk falling behind in the race for qualification.
As the stakes rise, Morocco know that anything less than maximum points could complicate their path forward. Against a confident Scottish side, the Atlas Lions must now deliver not just moments, but a complete performance capable of shifting the balance in their favour.—Reporting by Africa Top Sports & CONCACAF Media; editing by Maravi Express
Group stage results
Group A
Mexico 2-0 South Africa
South Korea 2-1 Czechia
Czech Republic 1-2 South Africa
Mexico 1-0 South Korea
Group B
Canada 1-1 Bosnia and Herzegovina
Qatar 1-1 Switzerland
Switzerland 4-1 Bosnia & Herzegovina
Canada 6-0 Qatar
Group C
Brazil 1-1 Morocco
Haiti 0-1 Scotland
Group D
USA 4-1 Paraguay
Australia 2-0 Turkiye
Group E
Côte d’Ivoire 1-0 Ecuador
Germany 7-1 Curacao
Group F
Netherlands 2-2 Japan
Sweden 5-1 Tunisia
Group G
Belgium 1-1 Egypt
Iran 2-2 New Zealand
Group H
Spain 0-0 Cape Verde
Saudi Arabia 1-1 Uruguay
Group I
France 3-1 Senegal
Iraq 1-4 Norway
Group J
Argentina 3-0 Algeria
Austria 3-1 Jordan
Group K
Portugal 1-1 DR Congo
Uzbekistan 1-3 Colombia
Group L
England 4-2 Croatia
Ghana 1-0 Panama
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