Top 10 Stadiums in Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago, a twin-island nation off the coast of Venezuela, became the smallest country by population ever to qualify for a men's World Cup when the "Soca Warriors" reached the 2006 finals in Germany. The country's stadium network was substantially built up for the 2001 FIFA Under-17 World Championship, leaving a string of modern regional grounds across Trinidad. Every stadium below is on the map.
1. Hasely Crawford Stadium, Port of Spain
Capacity: around 27,000. The national stadium of Trinidad and Tobago, in the capital Port of Spain, named after the sprinter Hasely Crawford, who won the country's first Olympic gold in the 100 metres in 1976. It is the principal home of the Soca Warriors and the centre of national football, hosting the biggest CONCACAF fixtures and the country's athletics.
2. Dwight Yorke Stadium, Bacolet (Tobago)
Capacity: around 7,500. Located in Bacolet on the island of Tobago and named after Dwight Yorke, the Manchester United and Trinidad and Tobago striker who is the nation's most famous footballer. Built for the 2001 Under-17 World Championship, it is the main football ground on Tobago and a symbol of the islands' footballing pride.
3. Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar (Arima)
Capacity: around 10,000. Named after the West Indies cricketer Larry Gomes, this Arima ground in eastern Trinidad was among the venues built for the 2001 youth World Cup. It hosts football and athletics in the populous east-west corridor of Trinidad.
4. Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva
Capacity: around 10,000. Named after the sprinter Ato Boldon, multiple Olympic and world medallist, this central Trinidad ground in Couva is one of the country's principal football venues and hosts national team and club fixtures, as well as athletics.
5. Manny Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella (San Fernando)
Capacity: around 10,000. Located near San Fernando in southern Trinidad, the country's second city, this ground was also built for the 2001 tournament and serves the populous south of the island.
6. Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain
Capacity: around 18,000 (cricket). One of the most famous cricket grounds in the Caribbean, the Queen's Park Oval has hosted West Indies Test cricket for over a century and is among the most picturesque Test venues in the world, framed by the Northern Range. It reflects the central place of cricket alongside football in Trinidadian sport.
7. Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Tarouba
Capacity: around 15,000. A modern cricket stadium in southern Trinidad named after Brian Lara, the legendary West Indies batsman and one of the greatest in the sport's history, who was born in Trinidad. It is among the newest major sporting venues in the country.
8. Marvin Lee Stadium, Macoya
Capacity: around 6,000. A football ground in northern Trinidad used by clubs in the domestic TT Premier Football League, part of the network of grounds around the Port of Spain conurbation.
9. Phase II / Police Barracks grounds, Port of Spain
Capacity: varies. Smaller capital-area grounds host domestic club football and community sport, supporting the league structure beneath the national stadium.
10. Skinner Park, San Fernando
Capacity: around 12,000. A multi-purpose ground in San Fernando used for football, athletics and the cultural events of the southern city, including Carnival-related gatherings. It anchors sport and community life in southern Trinidad.
The 2006 World Cup and the Soca Warriors
Trinidad and Tobago's qualification for the 2006 World Cup in Germany, under coach Leo Beenhakker and with Dwight Yorke captaining the side, was the crowning achievement of the nation's football history. The Soca Warriors held Sweden to a goalless draw in their opening match, a result celebrated across the islands. The achievement, by a nation of around 1.3 million people, remains one of the great World Cup stories.
Football and cricket on the islands
Like much of the English-speaking Caribbean, Trinidad and Tobago combines a deep cricket tradition — the Queen's Park Oval and the Brian Lara Academy are major venues — with passionate football. The islands have produced cricketers including Brian Lara and footballers including Dwight Yorke and Russell Latapy, and the stadium network reflects this dual sporting culture, with grounds named after the nation's sporting heroes.
Visiting the islands' grounds
Most of the major football grounds are on Trinidad, served by Piarco International Airport near Port of Spain, with the Hasely Crawford Stadium in the capital and the regional grounds of Couva, Arima and San Fernando within reach by road. Tobago, reached by ferry or short flight, has the Dwight Yorke Stadium. The map shows the full distribution across both islands, from the capital to the southern and eastern venues and across to Tobago.