Haitian football makes history with three players in the Women’s Champions League
For the first time in the history of Haitian women’s football, three Haitian internationals will compete in the same UEFA Women’s Champions League campaign, a milestone that underscores the growing footprint of The Grenadières on the European club game.
Melchie Dumornay of OL Lyonnes, Brittany Raphino of Inter Milan and Océane Toussaint of Paris Saint-Germain are all entered for the 2026-27 edition of the competition, placing Haitian players inside three of the sport’s most decorated clubs at the same time.
Dumornay, the standard-bearer
Dumornay, 22, remains the most recognizable name among the three. The midfielder-forward joined Lyon in 2022 after two seasons at Reims and has since been named the competition’s Young Player of the Season in back-to-back campaigns (2023-24 and 2024-25).
The Haitian star a central figure as Lyon reached the 2025-26 final, delivering the decisive assist in the club’s semifinal comeback against Arsenal. Her return for another Champions League campaign gives Lyon a proven difference-maker and gives Haiti its most consistent presence yet on the continent’s biggest club stage.
Raphino’s move to Italy
Raphino, 25, arrives at Inter Milan after a breakout stretch with Sporting CP in Portugal, where she also gained Champions League experience. Born in Randolph, Massachusetts, to a Haitian family, Raphino starred collegiately at Brown University before turning professional in 2024.
The Grenadière signed with Inter Milan on July 10, agreeing to a contract through June 2029. Her move adds a second attacking threat with Haitian ties to this season’s field and extends the diaspora pipeline that has increasingly fed the national team’s growth.
Toussaint chooses Haiti
Toussaint’s inclusion completes the trio in unusual fashion. The 22-year-old goalkeeper, born in Bagnolet, France, came up through Paris Saint-Germain’s academy and had represented French youth national teams before announcing in April that she would play internationally for Haiti, the country of her heritage.
Toussaint earned her first call-up that month and made her senior debut for the Grenadières on June 5, starting in a 2-1 victory over New Zealand. Days later, on July 31, PSG confirmed she had extended her contract with the club through June 2028, cementing her place in the squad that will contest this season’s Champions League.
A moment for Haitian football
With Dumornay chasing another deep run at Lyon, Raphino adjusting to Serie A’s growing women’s competition, and Toussaint fighting for playing time behind PSG’s established goalkeeping options, the season ahead will test how far that presence can extend, and whether it can translate into results for Haiti’s senior national team as it continues its own push toward the 2027 World Cup.
The 2026-27 UEFA Women’s Champions League group and knockout schedules are expected to be finalized in the coming weeks, with qualifying rounds already under way across the continent.
