# Ligue Haïtienne

Ligue Haïtienne (French pronunciation:; Haitian League), is a Haitian professional league, governed by the Haitian Football Federation, for association football clubs. It is the country's primary football competition and serves as the top division of the Haitian football league system. Contested by 18 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with Division 2, although the current format has been changed due to violence in the country, with 3 regional groups consisting of 14 teams, after a three year hiatus.
Clubs also compete against continental rivals in the CFU Club Shield, CONCACAF Caribbean Cup, and CONCACAF Champions Cup.

## History
### Foundation

It was created in 1937 and is headed by the Fédération Haïtienne de Football, the official governing body of football in the country. The champion and runner-up teams of the league's tournaments qualify to participate in the CONCACAF Champions League from the first round of the CFU Club Championship. 20 teams participate in this league and compete for the national title. Racing CH, with 14 national titles, is the most successful club in the league to date.

## Clubs
### Members for 2020–21

The following 18 clubs compete in the 2020–21 season.
* America des Cayes
* Arcahaie FC
* AS Capoise
* AS Cavaly
* AS Mirebalais
* Baltimore SC
* Cosmopolites SC
* Don Bosco FC
* FC Juventus des Cayes
* FICA
* Ouanaminthe FC
* Racing Club Haïtien
* Racing Gonaïves FC
* Real Hope FA
* Tempête FC
* Triomphe Liancourt FC
* US Rivartibonitienne
* Violette AC

## Previous winners

Since 2002 (with the exception of 2012 and 2013), the league has employed a two-stage season with separate champions for both stages, a system found in many Latin American countries. In French-speaking Haiti, "O" stands for Ouverture (opening), corresponding to the Spanish Apertura, and "F" stands for Fermeture or "C" stands for Clôture (closing), corresponding to the Spanish Clausura.
| Year | Winner | City |
| 1937–38 | Racing CH | Port-au-Prince |
| 1939 | Violette AC | Port-au-Prince |
| 1940 | Hatüey Bacardi Club | Port-au-Prince |
| 1941 | Racing CH | Port-au-Prince |
| 1942 | Etoile Haïtienne | Port-au-Prince |
| 1943 | Arsenal FC | Port-au-Prince |
| 1944 | Etoile Haïtienne | Port-au-Prince |
| 1945 | Hatüey Bacardi Club | Port-au-Prince |
| 1946 | Racing CH | Port-au-Prince |
| 1947 | Racing CH | Port-au-Prince |
| 1948 | Excelsior AC | Port-au-Prince |
| 1949 | championship interrupted | championship interrupted |
| 1950 | Excelsior AC | Port-au-Prince |
| 1951 | Excelsior AC | Port-au-Prince |
| 1952–53 | Aigle Noir AC | Port-au-Prince |
| 1953–54 | Racing CH | Port-au-Prince |
| 1954 | no championship | no championship |
| 1955 | Aigle Noir AC | Port-au-Prince |
| 1956 | Jeunesse Pétion-Ville | Pétion-Ville |
| 1957 | Violette AC | Port-au-Prince |
| 1958 | Racing CH | Port-au-Prince |
| 1961 | Etoile Haïtienne | Port-au-Prince |
| 1962 | Racing CH | Port-au-Prince |
| 1963 | Racing CH | Port-au-Prince |
| 1964–65 | not held | not held |
| 1966 | Racing CH | Port-au-Prince |
| 1967 | Racing CH | Port-au-Prince |
| 1968 | Violette AC | Port-au-Prince |
| 1969 | Racing CH | Port-au-Prince |
| 1970 | Aigle Noir AC | Port-au-Prince |
| 1971 | Don Bosco FC | Pétion-Ville |
| 1972–82 | not held | not held |
| 1983 | Violette AC | Port-au-Prince |
| 1984–87 | not held | not held |
| Championnat National |||
| 1987–88 | Aigle Rouge des Gonaïves | Gonaïves |
| 1988–89 | FICA | Cap-Haïtien |
| 1989–90 | FICA | Cap-Haïtien |
| 1990–91 | FICA | Cap-Haïtien |
| 1991–92 | discontinued | discontinued |
| 1992–93 | Tempête FC | Saint-Marc |
| 1993–94 | FICA | Cap-Haïtien |
| 1994–95 | Violette AC | Port-au-Prince |
| 1996 | Racing FC | Gonaïves |
| 1997 | AS Capoise | Cap-Haïtien |
| 1998 | FICA | Cap-Haïtien |
| 1999 | Violette AC | Port-au-Prince |
| 2000 | Racing CH | Port-au-Prince |
| 2001 | FICA | Cap-Haïtien |
| 2002 O | Roulado FC | La Gonâve |
| 2002 F | Racing CH | Port-au-Prince |
| 2003 O | Don Bosco FC | Pétion-Ville |
| 2003 F | Roulado FC | La Gonâve |
| 2004 | not held | not held |
| 2004–05 O | AS Mirebalais | Mirebalais |
| 2004–05 F | Baltimore SC | Saint-Marc |
| 2005–06 O | Baltimore SC | Saint-Marc |
| 2005–06 F | Aigle Noir AC | Port-au-Prince |
| 2007 O | Baltimore SC | Saint-Marc |
| 2007 F | Cavaly AS | Léogâne |
| 2008 O | Tempête FC | Saint-Marc |
| 2008 F | Racing FC | Gonaïves |
| 2009 O | Tempête FC | Saint-Marc |
| 2009 F | Racing CH | Port-au-Prince |
| 2010 O | Tempête FC | Saint-Marc |
| 2010 C | Victory SC | Port-au-Prince |
| 2011 O | Baltimore SC | Saint-Marc |
| 2011 C | Tempête FC | Saint-Marc |
| 2012 | Valencia FC | Léogâne |
| 2013 | AS Mirebalais | Mirebalais |
| 2014 O | America FC | Cayes |
| 2014 C | Don Bosco FC | Pétion-Ville |
| 2015 O | Don Bosco FC | Pétion-Ville |
| 2015 C | FICA | Cap-Haïtien |
| 2016 O | Racing FC | Gonaïves |
| 2016 C | FICA | Cap-Haïtien |
| 2017 O | Real Hope FA | Cap-Haïtien |
| 2017 C | AS Capoise | Cap-Haïtien |
| 2018 O | AS Capoise | Cap-Haïtien |
| 2018 C | Don Bosco FC | Pétion-Ville |
| 2019 O | Arcahaie FC | Arcahaie |
| 2019 C | abandoned due to civil unrest | abandoned due to civil unrest |
| 2020 O | abandoned due to Covid-19 | abandoned due to Covid-19 |
| 2020 C | cancelled due to transition to fall/spring rhythm | cancelled due to transition to fall/spring rhythm |
| 2020–21 O | Violette AC | Port-au-Prince |
| 2020–21 C | abandoned | abandoned |
| 2021–23 | no competition | no competition |
| 2024 | Real Hope FA | Cap-Haïtien |

## Performance By Club

| Club | City | Titles | Last title |
| Racing CH | Port-au-Prince | 14 | 2009 F |
| FICA | Cap-Haïtien | 8 | 2016 C |
| Violette AC | Port-au-Prince | 7 | 2020–21 O |
| Tempête FC | Saint-Marc | 5 | 2011 C |
| Don Bosco FC | Pétion-Ville | 5 | 2018 C |
| Baltimore SC | Saint-Marc | 4 | 2011 O |
| Aigle Noir AC | Port-au-Prince | 4 | 2005–06 F |
| Etoile Haïtienne | Port-au-Prince | 3 | 1944 |
| Excelsior AC | Port-au-Prince | 3 | 1951 |
| Racing FC | Gonaïves | 3 | 2016 O |
| AS Capoise | Cap-Haïtien | 3 | 2018 O |
| AS Mirebalais | Mirebalais | 2 | 2013 |
| Hatüey Bacardi Club | Port-au-Prince | 2 | 1945 |
| Roulado FC | La Gonâve | 2 | 2003 F |
| Real Hope FA | Cap-Haïtien | 2 | 2024 |
| America FC | Cayes | 1 | 2014 O |
| Arcahaie FC | Arcahaie | 1 | 2019 O |
| Arsenal FC | Port-au-Prince | 1 | 1943 |
| Cavaly AS | Léogâne | 1 | 2007 F |
| Jeunesse Pétion-Ville | Pétion-Ville | 1 | 1956 |
| Victory SC | Port-au-Prince | 1 | 2010 C |
| Valencia FC | Léogâne | 1 | 2012 |
| Aigle Rouge des Gonaïves | Gonaïves | 1 | 1988 |

## Top goalscorers

| Year | Name | Team | Goals |
| 1999 | Golman Pierre | FICA | 19 |
| 2001 | Golman Pierre | FICA | 24 |
| 2002 | Jean-Robert Menelas | Roulado FC | 16 |
| 2005–06 | Roscaldo Jérémie | AS Mirebalais | 10 |
| 2008 | Ricardo Charles | Victory SC | 12 |
| 2019 | Elyvens Déjean | Don Bosco FC | 8 |
| 2020 | André Amy Elyvens Déjean | AS Cavaly Don Bosco FC | 4 |
| 2020-21 | Angelo Exilus | Real Hope FA | 15 |
| 2024 | | | |

## Media coverage

The Haitian Football Federation has an exclusive broadcasting agreement with French premium pay TV channel, Canal+. The agreement was made official on 7 March 2016, a five-year deal to start at the end of April, 2016. However the financial details are not disclosed. The deal includes coverage and live broadcasts; 15 matches of its choice for the 2016 season as well as interviews before and after each match.
Canal+ Haiti, a subsidiary, offers three packages to view games domestically.