Former University of Pennsylvania men’s soccer player Duke Lacroix was named on May 19 to Haiti’s final roster for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, marking the nation’s first appearance in the tournament since 1974. Lacroix is one of four players on the Haitian squad who currently compete at club level in the United States.
Lacroix first represented Haiti internationally in June 2023, debuting in a friendly against St. Kitts and Nevis where he played all ninety minutes during a 3-1 win. He continued his international career with appearances in two World Cup qualifiers in 2024, playing as left back and scoring his first international goal during a victory over Barbados.
In recent qualifying matches, Lacroix appeared regularly for Haiti, earning caps in five out of six games and contributing two assists—one each against Costa Rica and Nicaragua. He played every minute of Haiti’s opening three matches and helped secure crucial victories that led to qualification for the tournament after a draw between Honduras and Costa Rica confirmed their place. To date, Lacroix has earned fourteen caps for Haiti.
Haiti will begin its World Cup campaign on June 13 against Scotland in Foxborough, Massachusetts. The team’s second match will be held against Brazil in Philadelphia—a city where Lacroix enjoyed significant collegiate success with Penn Quakers Men’s Soccer.
Currently aged thirty-two, Lacroix plays professionally for Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC in the USL Championship. Over four seasons he has made seventy-eight appearances and sixty-four starts, including being part of a title-winning side during the 2024 season. Before joining Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC, he also played for Indy Eleven, Orange County SC, Reno 1868 FC, Charlotte Independence, and Sacramento Republic FC.
During his college career at Penn, Lacroix started sixty-seven out of sixty-eight matches played and earned All-Ivy honors all four years—a feat achieved by only three players in program history. He was recognized as Ivy League Rookie of the Year as a freshman before later being named Ivy League Offensive Player of the Year as a junior while also receiving unanimous First-Team honors.
