Wyclef Jean, DJ Francis Mercier link as Haitians rally

As Haiti prepares for its first World Cup appearance in 52 years, Wyclef Jean and Haitian-American DJ Francis Mercier are rolling out music meant to fuel watch parties and stadium noise across the U.S. on June 13, when Haiti opens its 2026 campaign against Sco

On June 13, the World Cup opener is supposed to be about the pitch. For thousands of Haitians spread across the East Coast, it’s also about something deeper—getting the flag back onto the biggest stage, louder than the doubts that followed a travel ban.

Haiti will play in the World Cup for the first time in 52 years. and it begins with a match against Scotland. Even with a United States travel ban in place for Haitians. fans are expected to show up in force—turning stadium support into something that spills out into concerts. parties and other gatherings during the 2026 tournament.

Wyclef Jean framed the moment as a rare kind of arrival. “I’m just happy to be alive at a time like this. Words can’t express it. It’s the best feeling in the universe, the pride, the emotion every time the team plays,” he said. He added that the feeling is shaped by everything Haiti has endured: “Through the ups and downs. through everything we’re going through. to watch the flag being flown on the highest stage with all these amazing athletes. it’s super cool.”.

His collaborator, Haitian-American DJ Francis Mercier, is betting the energy won’t stay inside the venues. “Stadiums are going to be packed. Parties are going to be lit,” Wyclef said, summing up what many Haitians appear to be carrying into summer.

For Mike Jean. a music producer and humanitarian. the men’s national team is a rare bright spot in a year he called “the biggest year for Haiti outside of Haiti because Haiti has been suffering a lot.” In that view. what Haitians need most isn’t just access—it’s a signal that the country’s pride still travels well.

That’s where the Wyclef-Mercier pairing comes in. The pair are releasing a track called “Take Me Home” in July, featuring vocals from Nigerian singer Kah-Lo. The song is expected to become a soundtrack for Haitian watch parties throughout the summer. Mercier also says he’s building his show schedule around the Haiti matches in the U.S. including a performance in Atlanta hours after Les Grenadiers meet Morocco in Georgia’s capital.

“I’ve just been honored to be called ‘nephew’ by the multi-talented legend. ” Mercier said. pointing to the personal chemistry behind the project. He also described the atmosphere he’s sensing on the ground: “Everybody’s really excited for the shows. There’s a feeling of patriotism. I see a lot of people with flags attending. I’ve done shows recently in Miami, and I could really feel the presence. It’s quite vibrant. New York is definitely not going to miss.”.

Mercier said there will be people flying in from Haiti, alongside Haitian-Americans across the U.S. “The diaspora that lives in the U.S. will be present. ” he said. adding that there are large communities in Los Angeles. Miami. and Boston. with the first game’s location drawing attention: “So it should be like a great time for sure.”.

The collaboration itself carries an intimate story. Wyclef said there’s a joke in the Haitian community that everyone is related to him. and when he began working with Mercier. he found the DJ was connected through his wife’s extended family. “That made the collaboration flow even more easily,” Wyclef said.

He described hearing Mercier’s samples through a message on WhatsApp from Mike Jean. “I’m listening, and the one beat, man. I heard this thing, and it caught me, you know what I mean?. I was like. ‘Yo. give me a minute. I’m gonna start to write a vibe to this and see if you guys like it!’” Wyclef said. “Got with Francis, and it was just amazing.”.

Backstage and beyond the tournament, careers keep moving. Mercier holds down a top residency in Ibiza, while Wyclef is set to drop seven albums spanning genres. Even so, there’s a pull to return—not necessarily to a specific address, but to the feeling of belonging.

Wyclef described the yearning he hears inside the music. “Just hearing the beat and as I’m traveling, the idea of like yearning and missing home. Sometimes you just want to go on the plane and go to the white sand beach,” he said. “With everything going on, it makes it a little harder. Home can be anywhere for anyone, but the deeper meaning of home is a sense of inner peace. We wish that our country had that right now.”.

The title “Take Me Home” lands with immigrant communities well beyond Haiti. Mike Jean tied that purpose directly to the collaboration: “I need you to do something with ‘Clef because you’ve been two Haitians who have traveled all over. ” he said. “I wanted to put something together to bring light to this, to show the flag.”.

Even as the music prepares for watch parties. it also sits on top of a longer connection between Haiti’s rhythms and soccer. Erica Dumas, a Haitian-American publicist with ties to both the music and sports industries in the U.S. and Haiti, said the relationship is part of how people grow up. “Music and soccer are inseparable in Haitian culture,” Dumas said.

She described that legacy in the present tense: “Growing up. you heard Wyclef. and it made you feel like Haiti could take on the world.” Now. she pointed to a new generation with performers like Francis Mercier selling out shows in Ibiza and Brooklyn and bringing the same energy to audiences in Paris.

She also pointed to a wound the community still carries. “I have to mention Mikaben,” Dumas said. “He was one of the most beloved voices in Haitian music, and losing him on that stage in Paris was a wound this community is still healing from.”

Dumas noted that Mikaben is not here to see Haiti back in the World Cup. “The fact that he isn’t here to see Haiti back in the World Cup, to feel what we’re all feeling right now, that stays with you. He would have celebrated louder than anyone. This World Cup is for him, too.”

Mikaben died of cardiac arrest at age 41 while performing in the Accor Arena. He was known for compas or kompa music, a distinct style that Dumas says will be powering many of the Haitian parties this summer. The gatherings, she added, may also include Rhum Barbancourt for those who like to indulge.

Alongside compas, Dumas expects Mercier’s beats, Wyclef’s classics, and anthems from Haitian DJ Michael Brun to show up—along with newer tracks like Lenny Auguste’s song with Mercier, “Ayibobo,” which went viral on TikTok in 2022.

The confidence around support isn’t built only on social media energy. It also shows up in friendly matches in South Florida, where crowds wearing blue and red welcomed the team for matches in Fort Lauderdale and Miami proper.

Haiti center back Ricardo Ade said the turnout has already answered the question people were asking. “I know we’re going to have so many fans because there are a lot of Haitians in the States. ” he said. “I know they’re going to be going to the games, in the stadium, waving the flag. It’s going to be good for us, and I can’t wait to live that moment.”.

For Jean. the World Cup isn’t just sports—it’s the counter-message Haiti wants to be sending after a U.S. election cycle where, he said, falsehoods about Haitians were spread by American politicians. “That, Jean said, makes the current cultural moment all the more powerful,” according to his framing of the broader stakes.

He pushed the focus toward what he calls Haitian excellence. “I think I would focus more on the Haitian excellence part of it,” Wyclef Jean said. “I’ve been doing songs not just for World Cups, right?. I’ve been doing songs for the team. I’ve watched this team and I’ve watched the transition of the team. I’ve watched growth of the team.”.

He returned to the meaning of the flag in plain language. “The idea of not being in Haiti. and you decide that you’re going to hold that flag up. that’s a huge thing – and it’s bold. right?” Wyclef said. “It’s proud and at the same time. it’s emotional because it’s almost like you are literally taking the country and you’re putting it on your shoulders.”.

Jean said the signal being sent is a path back to peace: “How do we get back to peace in our country?” he said. He then addressed the story he believes Haitians are trying to overturn: “Because the narrative of Haitian people being violent?. Haitian people, as a nation, are the most loving people in the world. That’s what we’re trying to get back to.”.

A banger of a song and a win in the group stage won’t fix Haiti’s challenges overnight. But the artists and players understand what a moment can do. Wyclef’s pitch is about what pride looks like when it’s shared—showing Haitians. and showing the world. “that Haiti is far more than its current struggles.”.

There’s a realism threaded through the hope. “Just hearing the beat,” “Take Me Home,” packed stadiums, flags waving in the stands—none of it promises peace by itself. What it does, supporters say, is give people something they can hold together while they wait for the bigger change they want.

Haitians across the U.S. seem ready for that task. And for this summer—starting with Haiti’s opener against Scotland on Saturday June 13—the party is expected to be loud enough to be heard clear across the East Coast, and beyond.

Haiti World Cup 2026 Wyclef Jean Francis Mercier Take Me Home Kah-Lo Haitian-American DJ compas kompa Mikaben Haitian diaspora World Cup watch parties East Coast events