Sport in Haiti
The most popular sport in Haiti is association football, though basketball is slowly but steadily gaining popularity, especially among the youth.
The Haiti national football team was the second Caribbean team to ever make it to the World Cup, in 1974. They also won the Carribean Nation Cup in 2007. One of the most well-known football player from Haiti is Joseph Eduard Gaetjens who played for the national football team of the United States and scored the winning goal of the 1950 FIFA World Cup.
In 1974, the Haiti national football team qualified for the World Cup. The biggest name of team at that time was Emmanuel Sanon who had played in more qualifying matches than any other Haitian in the team. It is however impossible to talk about Haitian football without mentioning Sylvio Cator. He started to gain popularity when he won the silver in the 1928 Amsterdam Olympic Games for long jump. He also had a hand in popularizing football in Haiti which is why the most popular and largest stadium in Haiti is named after him.
Below are details of sports, sporting events and sports people related to Haiti. Is there something missing? If you know of something that should be listed here, please let us know.
the flag of HaitiPopular sports of Haiti
- Football (Soccer), basketball
Haiti Sporting Success
- Haiti made it to the FIFA World Cup in 1974, their only appearance at that tournament
- The Haiti national football team won the Caribbean Nation Cup in 2007.
Great athletes from Haiti
- Joseph Eduard Gaetjens (football)
- Sylvio Cator (track and field, football) - won the silver in the 1928 Amsterdam Olympic Games for long jump
Haiti Sports trivia
- Haiti made its first official appearance at the 1924 Olympic Games in Paris. However, some sources list 1900 as their first appearance as Léon Thiércelin, a competitor in fencing, may be of Haitian nationality.
- During the opening ceremony of the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games, athletes from Haiti and Liechtenstein were shocked to discover that their flags were identical. After the games, a yellow crown was added to the corner of the flag of Liechtenstein.
- Haitian football player Joe Gaetjens represented the USA at the 1950 World Cup, and memorably scored the winning goal in the 1–0 victory over England.
- Sylvio Cator set the world long jump record of 7.93 m in 1928. His record long jump is still (2016) the Haitian national record and is the oldest standing national record in athletics.
Haiti at major events
- Haiti at the Summer Olympics
- Haiti at the Winter Olympics
- Haiti at the Men's FIFA World Cup
- Haiti at the Women's FIFA World Cup
- Haiti at the Copa América
Past sporting events hosted in Haiti
Upcoming sporting events in Haiti
Annual sporting events held in Haiti
Sporting Facilities in Haiti
- Stade Sylvio Cator, Port-au-Prince
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