FORT LAUDERDALE — Haiti dismantled New Zealand 4-0 in a World Cup warm-up friendly at Inter Miami CF Stadium, a dominant performance before an electric South Florida crowd as both nations finalize preparations for the FIFA World Cup 2026.
Ruben Providence opened the scoring in the 12th minute with a finish from the left side of the box, and Haiti never looked back. Lenny Joseph doubled the lead in the 51st minute, Frandtzdy Pierrot added a towering header in the 62nd minute, and Duke Lacroix capped the rout in the 87th minute with a right-footed curler from outside the box.
“It was nice to play at home today,” said Haiti head coach Sébastien Migné, referencing the strong presence of Haitian fans in the stands. “I hope in three days it will be a full stadium [at Nu Stadium], with a lot of Haitians, and with a good atmosphere.”
New Zealand’s starting lineup featured defender Tim Payne, the social media sensation who has drawn international attention over the past week. Despite the lopsided result, New Zealand forward Chris Wood acknowledged the atmosphere. “There was a lot of excitement, a lot of joy, it was basically full tonight,” Wood said.
The match marked Haiti’s return to the World Cup stage 52 years after its last appearance in the global competition. New Zealand is set for its third World Cup participation. Both national teams selected Inter Miami’s facilities for their final pre-tournament training, part of a series of events the club is hosting around World Cup festivities.
Haiti has history at the venue, having faced Guatemala in a friendly in March 2022 and competed in the preliminary round of the 2021 Gold Cup at Inter Miami CF Stadium. The match marked the first time New Zealand’s All Whites played at an Inter Miami CF venue.
Haiti faces Peru on Friday at 7 p.m. ET at Nu Stadium in Miami, which will be the first international friendly hosted at the club’s recently inaugurated venue.