Football’s return between Haiti and the Dominican Republic quickly became a night of tension in Santo Domingo, with a Concacaf Nations League match followed by a Dominican ban on Haiti playing future fixtures on its soil.
Dominican authorities impose ban after stadium incidents
Dominican Sports Minister Kelvin Cruz announced on Friday that the Haitian national team would no longer be allowed to play in the Dominican Republic. The decision followed disorder outside the Félix Sánchez Olympic Stadium before Thursday’s match in Santo Domingo.
- The game ended in a 4-1 victory for Haiti in the Concacaf Nations League.
- It was the first meeting between the neighbouring countries in the Dominican Republic since 2013.
- Authorities had classified the fixture as high-risk, with a significant police deployment around the stadium.
- Videos shared online showed groups of Haitian supporters forcing their way through entrances, with at least one access point damaged.
- The crowd was later dispersed without further reported violence.
Isidor celebration adds to anger
The atmosphere was further strained by Haiti forward Wilson Isidor, who scored twice. After one of his goals, he shouted: “Hispaniola is Haiti! This is Haiti!”
José Deschamps, president of the Dominican Football Federation, said the remarks were inappropriate given the political circumstances involving the two countries. He also raised the possibility of taking the matter to international football authorities.
Haiti’s federation struck a more conciliatory note in a message posted after the final whistle. It described the result as a fine evening for Haiti and for the island shared by both nations, adding that competition belongs on the pitch and respect must remain outside it.
A fixture shaped by a wider political divide
The match came against a difficult backdrop on Hispaniola, the island shared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Dominican President Luis Abinader has made efforts to curb Haitian immigration a central part of his political programme.
- The two countries share a 380-kilometre land border.
- Abinader’s government has built a wall along sections of that frontier.
- Thursday’s fixture was staged amid those existing political and social tensions, despite the heavy security operation.
