Country | Haiti |
---|---|
Confederation | CONCACAF |
Founded | 1937 |
Number of teams | 20 |
Level on pyramid | 1 |
Relegation to | Division 2 |
Domestic cup(s) |
Coupe d'Haïti Trophée des Champions |
League cup(s) | Championnat National |
International cup(s) |
CFU Club Championship CONCACAF Champions League |
Current champions |
FICA (6th title) (2015 Clôture) |
Most championships | RC Haïtien (14 titles) |
TV partners | Canal+ |
2016 |
Ligue Haïtienne (French pronunciation: [liɡ ajisjɛ̃n]; 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 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with Division 2.
Clubs also compete against continental rivals in the CONCACAF Champions League.
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. RC Haïtien, with 14 national titles, is the most successful club in the league to date.
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.
Since 2002 (with the exception of 2005–06), 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.