Haitian Police Retake Stadium From Gangs

Haitian police said they retook Sylvio Cator Stadium in Port-au-Prince on November 12, ending gang control of the national football venue, and transferred security there to Salvadoran troops. The police said the operation was carried out with the government’s Task Force and included the stadium’s surrounding area. The precise division of roles among the forces was not detailed in the statement.

El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele said Salvadoran forces would establish an operational base at the stadium and use it to advance into gang-held territory. His announcement described a planned next step; reports did not independently establish that the base was operational. The stadium’s recapture and the announced plan come as Salvadoran forces assist Haitian authorities against armed gangs in the capital.

The stadium had been under gang control since 2024, according to the reports. Its loss had forced Haiti’s national football team to play World Cup qualifying matches in Curaçao. The team qualified for the 2026 World Cup and was eliminated in the group stage. Sylvio Cator Stadium is in central Port-au-Prince, near districts and routes affected by gang activity.