Atlanta World Cup: Youth soccer players escort Haiti and Morocco teams

Atlanta kids escort World Cup soccer players

Twenty-two youth soccer players are getting the opportunity to escort World Cup players from Haiti and Morocco onto the field, according to a local youth organization.  

ATLANTA - A group of 22 youth soccer players in Atlanta escorted World Cup players from the Haiti and Morocco teams onto the field for Wednesday night's game.

Atlanta youth soccer opportunity

What we know:

Local youth soccer players met in downtown Atlanta to receive their official World Cup gear ahead of the big game. A group of 22 children was chosen to walk onto the field alongside athletes from both the Haitian and Moroccan national teams.

The event holds massive cultural significance for participants, like youth player Josephine Van, whose mother is Haitian and whose grandparents moved to the United States from Haiti in the 1970s. "I’m like, oh my gosh, I get to do this for my culture. This is something very big for me. I’m very proud," Van said.

Haitian World Cup return

The backstory:

The match marks a historic moment for the Haitian community, as the country's soccer team has not made it to the World Cup tournament in 52 years. Fans and families gathered in Atlanta expressed immense pride and excitement over the team's return to the global stage.

"This is such a proud moment. Such an honor moment. They haven’t made it since I was born," said parent Johanna Kernizan-Van. She noted the tournament unifies the community and "puts our country in the best light."

World Cup fan reactions

What they're saying:

Haitian supporters view the match as a powerful moment of unity and inspiration for all generations. "Sometimes, we don’t get the best light. It’s such a great thing to have us unified again, feeling so excited, motivated, inspired the youth, the old people, everybody is getting ready to watch Haiti on the screen," Kernizan-Van said.

Van shared her personal excitement about being part of the game Day ceremony. "I actually feel very excited to be at this game. I get to represent my culture. My mom is Haitian," Van said.

Match day details

What we don't know:

Officials have not yet confirmed the final score of the match between Haiti and Morocco or the total number of fans in attendance at the stadium. It also remains unclear which local soccer clubs the 22 selected youth players represent.