Haiti vs. USMNT—Concacaf Nations League: Preview, Predictions and Lineups

A rather peculiar few days beckon for the U.S. men’s national team, with manager Mauricio Pochettino remaining in charge for its Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal tie against Haiti, despite officially being appointed Manchester United’s new manager on Friday.

The USMNT is playing the ‘away’ leg of the two-match series on Saturday, although this match will be held in Miami due to a worsening security crisis in Haiti. FIFA’s 84th-ranked nation hasn’t been able to play on home soil for years as a result.

While Pochettino’s imminent departure and questions over the USMNT’s future will dominate the discourse surrounding their upcoming fixtures, there is still business to attend to.

After a promising World Cup ended in debacle then disappointment, Pochettino helped usher in the next generation of American soccer stars during the extended September-October break. The USMNT won all four of its matches, including victories over neighbors Mexico and Canada, both without conceding a goal.

Haiti, meanwhile, competed at its first World Cup since 1974 this summer but were drawn into a tough Group C. Still, the Central American minnows offered a respectable account of themselves despite failing to notch a single point.

The Haitians were defeated 2–0 by Costa Rica last time out, but that followed three successive victories at the start of the Nations League that ensured its progression into the quarterfinals. The aggregate winner of this tie will advance to next year’s finals.

Despite the circumstances surrounding Pochettino, the USMNT is still a huge favorite for this two-legged affair. While Haiti showcased plenty of pluck and grit at this summer’s World Cup, defeat for the USMNT here would be one of its great modern embarrassments.

This is a soccer nation that’s starting to expect, and anything but silverware in this competition should be regarded as a failure. There was distinct development under Pochettino, and the Argentine will leave the USMNT in a far better state compared to when he took the job on—assuming there’s no major upset here.

The heavy-hitters—Christian Pulisic, Folarin Balogun and Weston McKennie—are back for the Stars and Stripes, complementing a crop of exciting young talent.

Captain America returns: The USMNT certainly didn't miss its biggest names during the previous break, with Christian Pulisic among the players who didn't feature. Pulisic underwhelmed at the World Cup, partly due to injury, and had a delayed start to the season as a result. However, ‘Captain America’ enters this break on fire, having scored in three of his previous four outings for AC Milan.

Head-to-head record: These two nations are meeting for the 25th time on Saturday, having first locked horns in 1941. While Haiti dominated the matchup early on, winning the first four encounters, the USMNT has had much more success in recent times. In fact, Haiti hasn’t beaten the USMNT since 1973—a winless run of 10 games.

Home-field advantage: While a strong Haitian contingent is expected to arrive at Nu Stadium on Saturday, the USMNT ultimately has home advantage for both of these matches. We saw just how much that helped Pochettino’s team in the summer and during the previous break.

The “hosts” are looking toward the future after the World Cup, with stalwarts Johny Placide and Ricardo Adé both retiring. Leading goalscorer Duckens Nazon has also missed the previous two breaks, and his future with the team is unclear.

There is an absence of talent, which is what you’d expect from the 84th-ranked side in the world, yet there are a couple of familiar names, particularly to Premier League audiences. One of those, Jean-Ricner Bellegarde, is missing due to injury, though.

Alexander Pierre has established himself as Placide’s successor between the posts, and Sunderland’s Wilson Isidor will be expected to lead Haiti’s attack. His thunderous strike against Morocco was one of the best goals of the 2026 World Cup.

Haiti predicted lineup vs. USMNT (4-2-3-1): Pierre; Arcus, Duverne, Delcroix, Expérience; Jacques, Sainté; Deedson, Picault, Providence; Isidor

There have been a couple of alterations to Pochettino’s initial roster, with Sergiño Dest the latest to withdraw due to an injury.

George Campbell and Gio Reyna have also pulled out, being replaced by Mark McKenzie and Jack McGlynn, respectively.

Pochettino has the likes of Pulisic, Balogun, McKennie, Tyler Adams, Chris Richards and Alex Freeman available, but the Argentine will surely be tempted to trust the USMNT’s starlets before departing for Manchester.

Teenage sensation Cavan Sullivan is among those pushing for a start, while Julian Hall was in fine form during the previous break. Hall has the task of displacing Balogun, who’s already being linked with a move to United after Pochettino’s appointment was confirmed.

USMNT predicted lineup vs. Haiti (4-2-3-1): Kochen; Freeman, Richards, Trusty, Robinson; Adams, McKennie; Sullivan, Tillman, Pulisic; Balogun.

Location: Miami, Florida

Stadium: Nu Stadium

Date: Saturday, Nov. 14

Kickoff Time: 4:30 p.m. ET / 1:30 p.m. PT / 9:30 p.m. BST