El Paso Locomotive midfielder Carl Sainté is World Cup-bound, with the 23-year-old named to Haiti's squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, according to club and national team rosters. That means one of El Paso's own will be lining up on soccer's biggest stage this summer, wearing the blue of Les Grenadiers in a tough Group C draw.
El Paso Locomotive confirmed the selection in a club announcement and on its social channels, offering congratulations as Sainté prepares to link up with Haiti for international duty. "We are excited to have Carl included in Haiti’s national team again as they prepare for the World Cup this summer," Technical Director Ray Saari said in the statement, per El Paso Locomotive FC.
Sainté joined the Locomotive in December after previous spells with Phoenix Rising and FC Dallas, and he made his senior debut with Violette AC in Haiti. He has been capped by the senior Haiti side since 2022 and arrived in El Paso with experience across the USL and the MLS reserve system. He is listed as a central midfielder from Grand-Goâve, Haiti, according to the club's signing notice reported by El Paso Locomotive FC.
Haiti's World Cup schedule
Haiti has been drawn into Group C alongside Brazil, Morocco, and Scotland, with its opener against Scotland set for June 13 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough. The group stage will keep Haiti on U.S. soil through mid-June, with matches scheduled at American venues throughout the round. Tournament organizers and ticketing partners have listed the full slate of fixtures and locations, according to Ticketmaster.
What this means for El Paso
Sainté's call-up continues a busy international period for the Locomotive, coming on the heels of a spring window that saw several players depart to represent their countries. The club has noted that Sainté is expected to return to El Paso's roster following his national team duties, a point highlighted in the team release carried by OurSportsCentral. For the USL Championship campaign, it means the Locos will have to navigate short-term absences while key contributors are away on international duty.
Fans and next steps
Locos supporters can track Sainté's journey through the club's channels and local media coverage as the World Cup draws closer. Local outlets have already amplified the team's announcement, pushing the story from El Paso's sports pages onto the global soccer conversation. The Locomotive play their home matches at Southwest University Park, and fans can keep tabs on the club's schedule and results through team updates and local sports coverage, as reported by KVIA and KFOX.
For El Paso, Sainté's selection is both a badge of honor and a reminder of the rising level of talent flowing through the Locomotive locker room. As Haiti heads to its first World Cup since 1974, fans in the Borderland will be watching with pride, following one of their own onto the sport's biggest stage.
