Violette faces Baltimore in Haitian Soccer League final showdown

CAP-HAÏTIEN — The recent run of young clubs dominating the Haitian League has come to an end. For the first time in five years, two historic teams will contest the league final: Violette Athletic Club and Baltimore Sportif Club.

The final, with a date yet to be announced, pits two of Haiti’s most established clubs against each other after both topped their respective playoff groups.

“Making the final of a national championship isn’t easy,” Baltimore captain and center back Duckens Registre told The Haitian Times. “The guys and I are really excited. We’ve been fighting for this and dreaming about reaching the final since September.”

Baltimore secured its spot by finishing first in the northern playoff group with 10 points from six matches. The Saint-Marc club clinched the top position on the final day, defeating Racing Football Club des Gonaïves 2-0 at Parc Levelt.

Violette’s path was more comfortable. The Port-au-Prince-based club dominated the southern playoff group, finishing five points clear of the competition.

Founded in 1918, Violette Athletic Club  — known as Le Vieux Tigre — is one of Haiti’s oldest and most decorated teams. The club has won seven Haitian League titles, including the most recent one in 2021, and captured the Concacaf Caribbean Club Championship in 2022.

After sitting out the 2024 season because of worsening gang violence, Violette returned to league play and reached the final in its first year back, restoring competitiveness to a league some fans had criticized as lacking balance.

Baltimore, founded in 1974, has lifted the Haitian League trophy four times, with its most recent title coming in 2011. While the club struggled in recent seasons and was overshadowed by younger teams, it has regained momentum during this playoff run.

In recent years, newer clubs had seized control of the league. Real Hope Football Academy and Ouanaminthe Football Club 2011 contested the 2024 final, with Real Hope emerging champion. In 2025, Football Club Juventus des Cayes defeated the much older and storied Association Sportive Capoise to claim the title.

Players to watch

Violette enters the final as the favorite, buoyed by its playoff dominance and recent regional success. Key players include striker Elyvens Dejean, named the top player of the 2022 Concacaf Caribbean Club Championship, and defensive midfielder Woodensky Pierre, a 2024 league champion with Real Hope.

Baltimore relies more on grit than experience. Captain Registre anchors the defense, while young striker Armstrong Leconte has been one of the team’s most consistent attacking threats. Only two Baltimore players have previously appeared in a Haitian League final.

Still, Registre believes his team can rise to the occasion.

“We’re not done,” he said. “We haven’t been crowned champions yet. We want to bring the trophy to Saint-Marc.”

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