Published on and written by Cyril Jarnias
In the collective imagination, Trinidad and Tobago often rhymes with Carnival, steelpan, and beaches lined with coconut trees. Yet, on vacant lots, in brand-new stadiums as on remote beaches, sport holds an equally central place. On these two islands, people play, run, swim, and paddle almost everywhere, from the small neighborhood pitch to the venues that have hosted World Cups and global competitions.
The local sports landscape is dominated by cricket and football (soccer), but also includes growing basketball, a well-structured women’s netball, and high-level track and field. Golf, water sports, and hiking in the northern forests are also practiced. The atmosphere is marked by ‘liming’, a convivial culture where music and food always accompany sporting events.
Cricket, the king sport and permanent playground
To say cricket is omnipresent in Trinidad and Tobago is no exaggeration. Introduced by the British in the 19th century, the sport gradually became a true social glue, played in structured academies as well as on public savannahs, village grounds, and beaches.
This passion rests on a solid structure. The Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB) oversees the discipline and the national team, known domestically as Trinidad and Tobago Red Force, often dominates regional tournaments organized by Cricket West Indies. The team has accumulated over a dozen regional titles in one-day format and several championships in the four-day format, while also making history in Caribbean T20 with wins in the Caribbean T20 and even the former iconic Stanford 20/20 tournament.
Cricket in Trinidad and Tobago is played at all levels, from impromptu matches on a savannah to competitive club leagues. The Queen’s Park Oval in Port of Spain, home to the Queen’s Park Cricket Club, is considered one of the most beautiful grounds in the Caribbean. The Brian Lara Cricket Academy, near San Fernando, illustrates the rapid modernization of infrastructure dedicated to the sport.
The depth of cricket culture is also measured through the impact of the T20 format. Trinidad and Tobago has become a breeding ground for specialists: Dwayne Bravo, Kieron Pollard, Sunil Narine, Denesh Ramdin, or Lendl Simmons are among the names who have piled up matches and titles in leagues worldwide. The country has produced several of the best wicket-takers and top run-scorers in T20 history, while franchises like the Trinbago Knight Riders in the Caribbean Premier League attract a fervent crowd to the beat of soca.
Cricket is not just a sport to play, it is a shared language, a central subject of calypso and soca, and a tool for cohesion, sometimes even used in social programs to combat youth violence.
Brian Lara, cricket legend
To get a concise overview of the Red Force’s competitive footprint, we can look at some key benchmarks.
| Competition | Number of Trinidad and Tobago titles | Notable periods |
|---|---|---|
| Inter-Colonial Tournament (pre-1939) | 12 | 1901–02 to 1938–39 |
| Regional Four-Day Championship | 5 | 1969–70, 1970–71, 1975–76 (shared), 1984–85, 2005–06 |
| Regional One-Day Competitions | 15 | Waves of titles between 1978–79 and 2023–24 |
| Caribbean T20 Tournaments | 3 | 2011, 2012, 2013 |
For a visiting cricket enthusiast, attending a match at the Queen’s Park Oval or the Brian Lara Cricket Academy is almost a must. But to play, it’s even simpler: in the late afternoon, you can often just join a game on a neighborhood savannah, where improvised teams mix kids, adults, and sometimes club veterans.
Football (Soccer), between popular fervor and professional structures
While cricket often reigns supreme, football (soccer) is never far behind in the hearts of Trinidadians and Tobagonians. From beach “small-goal” games to league matches in stadiums in Couva or Marabella, the beautiful game is part of the daily landscape.
Organized football rests on a complete ecosystem. The Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA), founded in 1908, oversees senior leagues, youth competitions, women’s football, and national teams. At the top of the pyramid is the TT Premier Football League (TTPFL), successor to the former TT Pro League, which operates as a professional or semi-professional league, depending on the club, associated with a membership-owned company structure.
The year the FA Trophy, Trinidad and Tobago’s oldest football competition, was created.
The competitive dynamics of local football can also be glimpsed through its pyramid.
| Competition Level | League Type | Primary Role for Participation |
|---|---|---|
| TT Premier Football League (TTPFL) | Elite professional division | Access to high level and CONCACAF competitions |
| National Super League | Semi-professional division | Stepping stone to the top level |
| Regional Leagues (Central, Eastern, etc.) | Amateur, levels 3 and 4 | Broad base for practice and community clubs |
| School and Youth Leagues | School / Youth | Scouting, development, and high participation |
One of the major milestones in Trinidad and Tobago’s sports history remains the qualification of the men’s national team, the “Soca Warriors”, for the 2006 World Cup. The country then became the smallest nation by population to reach that stage. The memory of matches against Sweden and England remains vivid, notably the heroic draw against the Scandinavians and the 83 minutes without conceding a goal against England.
The national team’s journey and the success of historic expatriate players (Dwight Yorke, Kenwyne Jones, Carlos Edwards) gave Trinidad and Tobago football new visibility. Today, many local players try their luck abroad (Asia, Europe, North America), creating a constant flow between local pitches and international stadiums.
For daily practice, options are numerous. The infrastructure is solid, with five major stadiums built or renovated for the U-17 men’s (2001) and women’s (2010) World Cups: Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain, Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva, Larry Gomes Stadium in Arima, Manny Ramjohn Stadium in Marabella, not to forget Dwight Yorke Stadium in Tobago. Add to that club grounds, synthetic surfaces like at Marvin Lee Stadium, village pitches, and beaches where lively “fete matches” are improvised.
Women’s football is progressing, driven by the “Soca Princesses” national team and dedicated leagues, with ongoing projects to structure a genuine professional women’s league. As for youth, they have national leagues like the Republic Bank National Youth League or highly followed school competitions, where practice often rhymes with regional rivalries and electric atmospheres in the stands.
Track and Field: A small country, big champions
In the sporting DNA of Trinidad and Tobago, track and field holds a special place. Sprinters and throwers have raised the red, white, and black flag to the top of Olympic and world podiums, making the country a global reference in sprinting, relays, and javelin.
The first foundational moment dates back to 1976, when Hasely Crawford won Olympic gold in the 100 meters. That victory, the country’s first-ever Olympic gold medal, changed the national perception of sport and gave its name to one of the main stadiums: Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain, today the heart of many competitions.
An impressive lineage of athletes who have marked the history of Trinidadian sport on the international stage.
Quadruple Olympic medalist, held national records in 50 m, 60 m, and 200 m.
Olympic champion in the 4×100 m (after reallocation) and 100 m silver medalist in 2008, took the national record to 9.82 s.
Hailing from Trinidad’s north coast, won javelin gold in 2012 and bronze in 2016, holding the national record beyond 90 meters.
Performances are not limited to male sprinters and throwers. Michelle-Lee Ahye holds the women’s national records in the 100 m and 200 m, while athletes like Cleopatra Borel-Brown (shot put), Tonya Nero (distance), or Andwuelle Wright (long jump) dominate the record lists. More recently, Jereem Richards has taken the country into a new dimension in the 400 m, with a national record of 43.78 s and a World Championship silver medal.
This momentum is supported by a structured organization. The National Association of Athletics Administrations of Trinidad and Tobago (NAAATT) oversees 45 clubs spread across the two islands. Secondary schools are integrated via the Trinidad and Tobago Secondary Schools Track and Field Association (TTSSTFA) and zonal school championships, which often serve as the first showcase for talent. Events like the Hampton Games at Hasely Crawford Stadium or the Southern Games at Guaracara Park bring together clubs, schools, and sometimes international stars – Usain Bolt and Maurice Greene have run there.
The success of Trinidadian track and field relies partly on a myriad of high-level coaches. Iconic figures like John ‘Slim’ Andalcio, mentor of Olympic champion Keshorn Walcott, or Reynold Porter-Lee, a specialist in sprints and hurdles, illustrate the crucial role of coaching in athlete development. This progress is often facilitated by scholarships to prestigious American universities such as Texas A&M, South Plains College, or LSU.
For practitioners, the offering is broad: road races, sprints, middle-distance, jumps, throws, or even race walking. The country participates in a dense international calendar (Olympic Games, World Championships, CARIFTA Games, NACAC, Diamond League…) and organizes highly competitive national championships. Running a 10k road race, trying out sprinting at a club, or participating in a school meet is within reach for many young people, encouraged by the presence of physical education officers within the Ministry of Education.
To better grasp the scale of the performances, some emblematic national records deserve highlighting.
| Event | National Record (approx.) | Holder |
|---|---|---|
| Men’s 100 m | 9.82 s | Richard Thompson |
| Men’s 400 m | 43.78 s | Jereem Richards |
| Men’s 400 m Hurdles | 47.69 s | Jehue Gordon |
| Men’s 110 m Hurdles | 13.17 s | Mikel Thomas |
| Men’s Long Jump | 8.25 m | Andwuelle Wright |
| Men’s Triple Jump | 16.87 m | LeJuan Simon |
| Women’s Shot Put | 19.42 m | Cleopatra Borel-Brown |
| Women’s 100 m | 10.82 s | Michelle-Lee Ahye |
| Women’s 200 m | 22.25 s | Michelle-Lee Ahye |
| Women’s 5000 m | 16:19.17 | Tonya Nero |
| Women’s Marathon | 2:42:58 | Tonya Nero |
Beyond the numbers, the practice of track and field is omnipresent in schools, neighborhood clubs, regional stadiums, and even parks, where morning jogging and interval training mix with sessions from football or rugby clubs.
Basketball: A sport taking off
Where cricket and football rest on over a century of tradition, basketball embodies a more recent wave, driven by the global influence of the NBA, social media, and American leagues. Introduced around the mid-20th century, basketball has gone from a simple schoolyard pastime to a structured system, with a federation, leagues, championships, and ambitious national teams.
The development of the discipline initially relied on schools and community initiatives. From the 1970s-1980s, passionate teachers and coaches set up interschool competitions on both islands. Today, the Secondary Schools Basketball League (SSBL) remains the primary springboard to the top level for many young players, who are scouted there before joining clubs or obtaining scholarships abroad.
At the federation level, the Trinidad and Tobago Basketball Federation (TTBF) – sometimes also referred to as NBFTT in some sources – coordinates regional leagues and club competitions. The National Basketball League (NBL) offers structured championships for men’s and women’s teams, with well-known clubs like Defence Force, Police Service, Trailblazers, or Maloney Pacers. The level is currently semi-professional, but the organization is solid, and activity unfolds year-round between the NBL, zonal leagues (seven total), and national tournaments like the Super Ten or the National Club Championship.
Public courts play a key role. In Port of Spain, San Fernando, Scarborough, or Point Fortin – where a court painted in Miami Heat colors was inaugurated at Fanny Village – people literally play every evening. The Sport and Physical Education Centre at the University of the West Indies in St. Augustine, the Jean Pierre Complex in Port of Spain, or the gyms in Maloney and Pleasantville host games, referee clinics, coaching clinics, and youth camps.
The Trinidad & Tobago Female Basketball League (TTFBL), created and led by women under the slogan ‘Her Time Now’, aims to reduce gender inequality in sports. It offers female players, coaches, referees, and administrators equitable opportunities by focusing on training, funding, and media exposure. This initiative aligns with FIBA’s strategy and benefits from international support.
Inclusion doesn’t stop at gender. Driven by President Claire Mitchell, the federation signed an agreement with Deaf Sports of Trinidad and Tobago (DSTT), becoming the first national sports federation in the Caribbean to formally integrate the deaf and hard of hearing community into its structure. This partnership facilitates the participation of deaf players in competition, up to tournaments recognized by the Deaf International Basketball Federation, and builds on the example of players like Kushiah King, already selected for a hearing U16 team.
For an enthusiast, basketball is therefore very accessible: between neighborhood courts packed every evening, regional league clubs, and youth programs, it’s possible to play at almost every level. The prospect of university scholarships in the United States, contracts in Europe or Latin America, or even a career in the NBA G League or FIBA leagues, acts as a powerful motivator for the new generation.
Netball: A strong and victorious female tradition
Less known to the international general public, netball is nevertheless one of Trinidad and Tobago’s most decorated team sports. This cousin of basketball, played seven-a-side without dribbling, was originally a sport imported from England with a dimension of female emancipation from the early 20th century in the Caribbean.
Introduced to the islands shortly after the abolition of slavery, it was first played by the children of the former masters, in clubs like Malvern, Maple, or Queens Park. In the 1930s, girls from the working classes and descendants of enslaved people entered the game, gradually transforming netball into a mass sport. The 1950s to 1980s mark its golden age, with the emergence of charismatic figures and exceptional international results.
The women’s national team, nicknamed the ‘Calypso Girls’, made history by becoming co-world champions in 1979 with Australia and New Zealand. Trinidad and Tobago remains to this day the only other country to have won a world title. The team then secured several podium finishes in the 1980s before experiencing a decline in the world rankings.
Behind these results lies a highly organized institutional architecture. The Trinidad and Tobago Netball Association (TTNA) manages the sport, while the COURTS All Sectors Netball League plays a central role in domestic competition. This league, sponsored by a major retail chain, brings together teams from public institutions, services (Police, Fire Service, Defence Force), businesses, and universities. It is structured in several divisions (Premiership, Championship, Alternative, Retro), with group competitions, cups, Fast5 tournaments, and a U16 development program.
The diversity of participating clubs shows how deeply netball permeates Trinidadian society.
| Type of Participating Team | Examples of Clubs / Institutions |
|---|---|
| Law Enforcement & Public Services | Police (X, Y), Fire Service, Defence Force |
| Private or Parastatal Companies | Bermudez United, TSTT, Unit Trust Corporation |
| Universities & Higher Education | UWI, UTT, University of the Southern Caribbean |
| Independent Clubs | Jabloteh, MIC, TT Post, community clubs |
Matches primarily take place in venues like the Eastern Regional Indoor Sports Arena (ERISA), the Centre of Excellence, the Maloney Indoor Sports Arena, or the Jean Pierre complex, named in honor of Jean Pierre, a great player and later Minister of Sports. The league has clear objectives: increase the number of players, strengthen the umpiring body, improve the quality of play, develop media coverage, and maintain strict discipline through a code of conduct.
Netball offers young girls a space for sports development and leadership. Programs funded by the Ministry of Sport and the Sports Company of Trinidad and Tobago support U16 national teams and their participation in regional tournaments like the Jean Pierre Youth Netball Tournament. Training focuses on fundamentals (passing, receiving, positioning, shooting), emphasizing quick decision-making, court vision, and technical precision over physical contact.
For a curious visitor or a resident wanting to play, it is relatively easy to join a company or community club, especially in Port of Spain and major urban centers. Sessions often take place in the evening, in a very social atmosphere, true to the country’s “liming” culture, where sports competition readily extends into discussions and music by the court.
Water sports, diving, surfing, and kayaking: The maritime playground
With warm waters year-round and a topography blending sheltered bays, coral reefs, and powerful currents on some coasts, Trinidad and Tobago is an ideal playground for water sports. For those who love to move in a marine environment, the possibilities are multiple: snorkeling, scuba diving, sea kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, windsurfing, kitesurfing, sailing, sport fishing, water skiing, wakeboarding, or surfing.
Tobago is renowned for its exceptional underwater world. On the windward coast, around Speyside, the dive sites are among the best in the Caribbean, allowing encounters with manta rays, sharks, barracuda, groupers, and turtles. Off Pigeon Point and Store Bay, the Buccoo Reef, a designated marine protected area, is ideal for glass-bottom boats, snorkelers, and beginner divers, who can observe coral, angelfish, parrotfish, and damselfish.
In Trinidad, the Chaguaramas area concentrates a large part of nautical activity: sea kayaking in Williams Bay, paddleboarding, small sailboats, water skiing or wakeboarding trips off Port of Spain, yachting, and sailing races departing from the many marinas. The Trinidad and Tobago Sailing Association organizes about fifteen regattas each season, while events like the Angostura Tobago Sail Week attract sailboats from across the region.
Nature-based water sports include kayaking in the mangroves of Caroni Swamp or Nariva Swamp in Trinidad. This activity, offered by local agencies through guided tours, combines moderate physical effort with wildlife observation, such as the scarlet ibis (the national bird), and discovery of this unique ecosystem.
For those who prefer the thrill of surfing, the beaches on Trinidad’s north coast – Sans Souci, Las Cuevas, Grande Rivière, Roughside, Salybia – offer consistent waves between November and March. In Tobago, Mount Irvine is the go-to spot, especially for beginners. The Surfing Association structures competitions, including a major event at Sans Souci and national championships. Between sessions, village life around the spots blends surfers, fishermen, and families enjoying the beaches.
Sport fishing is another important aspect. Marlins, sailfish, tuna, mahi-mahi, and tarpon attract anglers from around the world. Tournaments are organized throughout the year, overseen by the Trinidad and Tobago Game Fishing Association, while “big game fishing” trips departing from Chaguaramas or Tobago combine physical endurance and adrenaline on the open sea.
Golf and outdoor sports: Golfing, cycling, hiking
Between cricket matches or a surfing session, Trinidad and Tobago also appeals with an offering of more “classic” outdoor sports like golf, hiking, mountain biking, or horseback riding.
Golf has become highly structured, with eight active courses across the country. Trinidad has several well-established 18-hole courses, like St Andrew’s Golf Club in Maraval (often called Moka), Millennium Lakes Golf & Country Club in Trincity, or the Pointe-à-Pierre course, formerly linked to the oil industry. Tobago boasts two renowned 18-hole courses in the southwest: Mount Irvine Bay Resort Golf Course and Tobago Plantations Golf Club, both integrated into hotel complexes, with sea views, coconut trees, and undulating fairways.
In Tobago, the Mount Irvine course is regionally distinguished and hosts international tournaments, ensuring quality maintenance and design. In Trinidad, the historic public course in Chaguaramas, in the west, was built by U.S. forces during World War II on a former tonka bean plantation.
For amateurs, playing golf is accessible through varying green fees, the possibility to rent clubs and carts, and on-site lessons. The tropical environment requires managing heat and humidity but offers in return ocean panoramas and frequent encounters with local wildlife (birds, iguanas, small mammals).
Beyond the golf greens, sport hiking and mountain biking are very popular. In the Northern Range, numerous trails lead to waterfalls (Rio Seco, Avocat, Paria Falls, Turure) or follow gorges, sometimes with sections close to canyoning. Clubs organize weekly outings at modest cost. The Trinidad and Tobago Field Naturalists’ Club offers a monthly excursion combining hiking and nature observation.
Mountain biking finds its playgrounds in Chaguaramas, the Santa Cruz valley, or the northern coastline between Matura and Matelot, offering trails that are sometimes smooth, sometimes technical, often with spectacular sea views. In Tobago, specialized operators offer tours combining single tracks, swimming on secluded beaches, and discovery of fishing villages.
Equestrian activities complete this picture. In Trinidad, centers like Bays & Greys, Jericoe Stables, or Goodwin Heights offer dressage and show jumping lessons, while trail riding is available at Hidden Valley (Chaguaramas) or Bonanza Stud Farm (Arima). In Tobago, operations like Being With Horses combine beach rides with animal-assisted therapy programs, especially for children.
A mosaic of sports to discover
While cricket, football (soccer), track and field, basketball, netball, water sports, and golf form the most visible foundation, Trinidad and Tobago presents an even broader mosaic for those wishing to practice other disciplines.
The country has a strong presence of combat sports and martial arts, including common disciplines like karate, judo, jujitsu, aikido, kung-fu, and kickboxing, as well as local forms like Don Jitsu Ryu, developed by the Purple Dragon school. Meanwhile, rugby union, structured by the Trinidad and Tobago Rugby Football Union, has an active national team in the 15s and 7s formats, having won a NACRA (Rugby Americas North) championship title and participated in Rugby World Cup qualifiers.
Track cycling and road cycling are experiencing a resurgence, driven by events like the Easter International Grand Prix, the Beacon Cycling Series, or “West Indies vs the World” showdowns, often organized on modern facilities like the National Cycling Centre in Couva or the Arima Velodrome. Champions like Nicholas Paul have put the country on the world map of track sprinting.
The archipelago offers various motorsport activities. Rallies, like Rally Trinidad and Rally Tobago, are part of the Caribbean Speed Stages Rally Championship. Drag racing and go-karting are held at venues such as Wallerfield and tracks in Couva. Finally, autocross and dragster events can also be watched or practiced on parking lots converted into temporary circuits.
Tennis has clubs, public courts (e.g., in Port of Spain or Tacarigua), and an active junior base; field hockey is played on a dedicated synthetic turf field in Tacarigua; competitive and recreational swimming benefit from the National Aquatic Centre in Couva and many public pools.
Finally, sport hiking overlaps with hybrid practices like “hashing”, those friendly trail runs organized by groups like the Port of Spain Hash House Harriers, where the effort always concludes with a social gathering.
A living sports culture, between high performance and popular practice
This overview shows how porous the boundary between high-performance sport and popular practice is in Trinidad and Tobago. The same stadiums that host World Championships, regional competitions, or international matches see neighborhood clubs, schoolchildren, or Sunday joggers pass through the next day. Olympic or professional heroes remain close to their original communities, inspiring youth from the same villages or neighborhoods.
The sporting vitality of Trinidad and Tobago is supported by institutions like the Olympic Committee, the Sports Company, and the National Sporting Organizations. Public policy (2017–2027 framework) explicitly links sport development to its use as a tool for health, education, inclusion, and national cohesion.
For visitors wishing to practice on-site, the best approach is often to go with this energy: join a beach “fete match” of football or cricket, sign up for a dive in Tobago, try a basketball game on a neighborhood playground, participate in a charity 5k, or book a kayak session in Chaguaramas. It generally takes very little time before you’re invited to join in the game.
Whether it’s bowling a cricket ball on the savannah, attempting a three-pointer in front of the Jean Pierre Complex, sprinting on the track at Hasely Crawford Stadium, shooting in netball for a company club, surfing at Sans Souci, or playing 18 holes facing the sea at Mount Irvine, the popular sports to play in Trinidad and Tobago always tell the same story: that of a small country where sport is lived with intensity, creativity, and a rare sense of shared celebration.
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Cyril Jarnias is an independent expert in international wealth management with over 20 years of experience. As an expatriate himself, he is dedicated to helping individuals and business leaders build, protect, and pass on their wealth with complete peace of mind.
On his website, cyriljarnias.com, he shares his expertise on international real estate, offshore company formation, and expatriation.
Thanks to his expertise, he offers sound advice to optimize his clients' wealth management. Cyril Jarnias is also recognized for his appearances in many prestigious media outlets such as BFM Business, les Français de l’étranger, Le Figaro, Les Echos, and Mieux vivre votre argent, where he shares his knowledge and know-how in wealth management.
