Heartbeat of a troubled nation

The nation's main venue — the Sylvio Cator Stadium — has been closed since February 2024, as it is located in a Port-au-Prince neighborhood controlled by gangs, as is about 90 percent of the capital.

But the "beautiful game" is played everywhere by people who are barefoot, in flip-flops or in sneakers. They have matches on asphalt, dirt or worn-out artificial turf — in neighborhood leagues, interschool competitions and tournaments involving both professional and amateur clubs.

Patrice Dumont, a former senator and sports columnist, said that in Haiti, a deeply religious nation, summer holiday leagues "are sites of pagan ceremonies that would make even the most devout fanatics blanche" — an apparent reference to the charged atmosphere at the matches.