Haitian Security Forces Say They Have Retaken National Stadium from Gangs
Police report regaining control of Port-au-Prince's Stade Sylvio Cator after roughly two years of gang occupation, with security handed to Salvadoran forces.
PORT-AU-PRINCE, November 12, 2026 — Haitian security forces say they have regained control of the country's main football stadium in the capital after it had been held by armed gangs for approximately two years.
The Haitian National Police announced Thursday that forces working with a government-supported task force had taken control of Stade Sylvio Cator. Police said security at the site was subsequently placed under the supervision of Salvadoran soldiers.
The operation represents a symbolic gain in a city where gang violence has disrupted public life, infrastructure and the ability of residents to move safely. The stadium had been unavailable for normal national football activities since armed groups gained control.
The police statement describes the situation at the venue, but it does not mean that security has been restored throughout Port-au-Prince or that the wider gang threat has been eliminated.
Haiti has faced an extended security crisis, with government institutions and international partners working on responses while many residents remain affected by instability.
Authorities have not announced a date for the resumption of football matches or public events at the stadium. Reopening would depend on sustained security, assessments of the facility and preparations for the safe return of spectators and teams.
Photo: Joel Carlson / United States Navy / Wikimedia Commons (public domain). Historic aerial photograph of Stade Sylvio Cator taken January 17, 2010, following the earthquake; not the November 12, 2026 police operation. Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Stade_Sylvio_Cator_after_earthquake_2010.jpg
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