HAITI captured the football world’s attention with its historic FIFA World Cup campaign this summer. Now one of the country’s leading clubs, Baltimore SC, is hoping to make its own mark on the regional stage, drawing inspiration from Jamaican football and one of the island’s most successful clubs, Mount Pleasant Football Academy.

Baltimore, finalists in last season’s Haitian League, will compete in the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Club Shield which kicks off next week in Trinidad as teams vie for a spot in the Concacaf Caribbean Cup.

The four-time league champions from Saint-Marc, a city in western Haiti, return to regional competition after a 14-year absence.

Haiti ended a 52-year wait to return to the FIFA World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada last month.

Baltimore, founded a month after the nation’s debut appearance at the tournament in 1974, hopes to build on that renewed excitement, and club executive Roberto Baptiste says they aren’t taking it for granted.

“We are excited for this opportunity but we also understand the expectations that come with wearing Haiti’s colours,” he told the Jamaica Observer. “Our objective is to represent the nation with pride, professionalism, and dignity, and to make every Haitian proud of the way Baltimore SC competes both on and off the field.”

The winners and finalists of the CFU Club Shield will qualify for this year’s Caribbean Cup. Baltimore could face reigning Caribbean Cup champions Mount Pleasant in the final if both teams progress through the knockout stages.

Baptiste, a regular visitor to Jamaica, says Mount Pleasant have set the standard in the region, and hopes Baltimore can follow a similar path to success despite the economic challenges the club face.

“What stands out to me is not only the investment in infrastructure, but also the vision behind the project. Their sporting director, Paul Christie, has done an excellent job of building a professional football environment while remaining open-minded in recruiting talent from across the region, including Haiti. Having someone of Theodore Whitmore’s experience involved in the project also adds tremendous value,” he said.

Roberto Baptiste, Baltimore SC executive member

“Of course, our realities in Haiti are different, and we don’t enjoy the same level of resources. However, their model reinforces the importance of investing in infrastructure, youth development, and professionalism.”

Several Jamaica Premier League clubs, including Mount Pleasant, have benefited from Haitian talent in recent years, with 12 Haitians featuring in the competition last season. Baptiste believes the growing ties between the two countries will strengthen their respective football programmes.

“Jamaica has provided a stable and professional environment for many gifted Haitian players to continue developing and applying their craft, especially during periods when the Haitian league has not been active,” he said.

“At the same time, I believe Haitian players have also helped Jamaican football. They have contributed tremendously to the quality of the product by bringing a different profile, a different energy, and a different football culture to the league. When you combine the professional structure of Jamaican clubs with the natural quality and hunger of Haitian players, I think the game benefits at a regional level. The fans benefit, the clubs benefit, and the players benefit.”

While qualifying for the Caribbean Cup for the first time would be a landmark achievement for Baltimore, Baptiste says its significance would extend far beyond football.

“We see this tournament as an opportunity to demonstrate the value of Baltimore SC as an institution, and to build meaningful, long-term strategic partnerships with clubs, federations, businesses and institutions that share our vision for football and community development,” he said.

“We want to show that the Artibonite region and the city of Saint-Marc are ready to use football not only as a competitive sport, but also as a driver of economic development, youth opportunity, and social change. We believe football can become a catalyst for sports tourism and long-term regional development, and we hope this tournament will help showcase that vision to partners throughout the Caribbean and beyond.”

Baltimore will open their campaign in the round of 16 of the CFU Club Shield on July 26 against either St Paul’s United of St Kitts and Nevis or Helenites SC of the US Virgin Islands.