Dominican Republic Bans Haiti After Nations League Clash
SANTO DOMINGO: The Dominican Republic has banned Haiti’s national football team from using its sports venues following crowd trouble and controversy surrounding a Concacaf Nations League match between the two neighbouring countries.
Dominican Sports Minister Kelvin Cruz announced the decision on Friday after incidents were reported at the entrances to the Felix Sanchez Olympic Stadium in Santo Domingo ahead of Thursday night’s match.
Dominican Republic Bans Haitian Football Fans After Stadium Disturbances
Dominican Republic authorities have condemned disturbances outside the Felix Sanchez Stadium. Officials called the incidents unacceptable and reaffirmed the government’s zero-tolerance policy towards disorder at sporting venues.
Cruz criticised the scenes at the stadium gates and highlighted the millions of pesos the government had spent developing and maintaining the facility. President Luis Abinader also supported the decision to take action after the disturbances.
The Haitian Football Federation did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the ban. However, after the match, the federation described the occasion on X as a “beautiful night for Haiti.” It also stressed the importance of mutual respect between the two neighbouring countries.
Haiti secured an impressive 4-1 victory over the Dominican Republic. Sunderland striker Wilson Isidor scored twice to help his team claim all three points. The win lifted Haiti to nine points at the top of Group A, while the Dominican Republic remained on six points.
Haiti will face Costa Rica in San Jose on Sunday as their qualifying campaign continues.
Wilson Isidor’s Remark Sparks Further Controversy
The match sparked further controversy when cameras captured Isidor saying, “Hispaniola is Haiti.” Hispaniola is the Caribbean island that Haiti and the Dominican Republic share.
Dominican Football Federation president Jose Deschamps condemned the comment. He called it disrespectful to the country’s national sovereignty and confirmed that the federation would file formal complaints with FIFA and Concacaf.
Neither FIFA nor Concacaf immediately responded to requests for comment.
Haiti’s embassy in Santo Domingo moved to distance the Haitian government from Isidor’s remarks. The embassy said the player had spoken “in the heat of competition and the intensity characteristic of sporting events.”
The embassy also urged both countries to keep sporting rivalry separate from diplomatic relations. Officials stressed the importance of preventing tensions on the pitch from affecting ties between the neighbours.
Football Controversy Highlights Long-Standing Tensions
Haiti and the Dominican Republic share the island of Hispaniola but have a long history of disagreements. Migration, border security and other political issues continue to strain relations between the two countries.
President Abinader’s government has intensified deportations of undocumented Haitian migrants since 2024. That year, Dominican authorities announced plans to deport as many as 10,000 people each week as part of a tougher immigration policy.
The latest football controversy highlights how sporting events can reflect wider political and diplomatic tensions. The stadium disturbances, Isidor’s controversial remark and the proposed complaints have added another layer of friction between the two neighbours.
Both countries now face the challenge of keeping football rivalry from worsening their already sensitive relationship.
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