Haiti vs Saudi Arabia

As the CONCACAF Gold Cup kicks off, Haiti will take on guest nation Saudi Arabia at Snapdragon Stadium this Sunday.

Les Grenadiers are in top shape, having secured victories in 10 of their last 11 games, while the Green Falcons have only suffered one loss in 2025.

Under Sébastien Migné, Haiti advanced to the final stage of World Cup qualifying earlier this month, winning three out of four matches in the second round. However, after a commanding 5-0 win against Aruba on June 7, they were handed a 5-1 defeat by Curaçao on Tuesday, their first loss since October 2023. Despite this setback, Haiti clinched second place in their group with nine points, five more than third-placed St. Lucia but three behind group leaders Curaçao, who maintained a perfect record.

Heading into the Gold Cup, Haiti, the nominal home side, will be mindful of their sole defeat at home this year. Still, with four consecutive home wins prior to that loss and three clean sheets to close out 2024, they’re optimistic about a strong tournament opener. That said, Haiti’s recent opponents have been relatively weak, and Saudi Arabia poses a significantly tougher challenge.

On the other side, Hervé Renard’s Saudi Arabia wrapped up the third round of AFC World Cup qualifying with three points from their last two matches. Their most recent game ended in a 2-1 loss to Australia, who topped the group, with Saudi Arabia squandering an early lead scored by Abdulrahman Al-Oboud. Finishing third with 13 points, the Green Falcons missed automatic qualification but advanced to the next round.

Looking to move past their recent disappointment, Saudi Arabia aims to start the Gold Cup on a high note. However, their away form has been inconsistent, with only three wins in their last seven road games, alongside two losses and two draws. Despite this, as the higher-ranked team, Saudi Arabia is favored to beat 83rd-ranked Haiti, and anything less would be considered a surprise.