The U.S. men's national team will face Haiti in Miami instead of Jamaica for the first leg of their Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal next month, Concacaf announced on Thursday, Oct. 22.
Haiti has been unable to play matches in its home country since 2021 because of an ongoing political crisis and gang violence.
The first leg on Nov. 14 had originally been set for Sabina Park in Kingston, but the match has now been moved to Nu Stadium in Miami after a request from the Haitian Football Federation (FHF).
"This flexibility will remain in place for as long as the security situation in Haiti persists,” Concacaf said in a statement.
The second leg will take place in Cincinnati on Nov. 17, as previously scheduled.
Even though Haiti will now play the
first leg inside the borders of the "away" team, there should be a huge presence of Les Grenadiers fans in a region that is home to a large amount of Haitians.
Haiti played a pre-World Cup friendly against Peru at Nu Stadium in June, backed by a sold-out crowd filled with fans cheering for the Caribbean nation.
That match was followed by Haiti's first appearance at a World Cup since 1974. Though it lost to Morocco, Scotland and Brazil in the group stage, the country received huge support at every game from the large Haitian diaspora in the United States.
The winner between the USA will secure qualification to the 2027 Gold Cup, Concacaf's continental championship, and a place in the Concacaf Nations League semifinals in March 2027.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Haiti moves home leg of Nations League quarterfinal vs USMNT to Miami
