The objective of these SKH visits articles is to provide you with an insight into soccer in some countries and venues that are not necessarily world renowned for the beautiful game.
And it’s fair to say that the paradise island of Mauritius firmly fits the bill.
During a recent family vacation to the island, I decided to investigate how the beautiful game is perceived in this part of the Indian Ocean.
While I didn’t get to watch a match, I did visit four of the country’s most prominent soccer stadiums, and I share with you everything you need to know about soccer in Mauritius in this blog post.
Is soccer popular in Mauritius?
Although a small island – Mauritius has a population of just 1.2 million – it’s fair to say that Mauritius is a nation of soccer lovers.
Traveling around the island, I was amazed at how many grassroots soccer pitches there were. There were soccer pitches on the beach, up rural tracks, and within the city limits of Port Louis.
Notably, they were busy. At different times of the day, as I drove past, people were playing soccer throughout the week and at the weekend.
Then there’s the fact that Mauritian kids (and adults!) can often be seen wearing soccer jerseys from some of the biggest soccer teams in Europe.
So, if you’re on vacation in Mauritius and you fancy a game, plan to visit one of the hundreds of grassroots pitches, and you can play soccer with the locals!
What’s the national soccer league in Mauritius?
The main league in Mauritius is the Mauritian Premier League. When I visited the country with my family (September 2022), I was gutted to find out that the season wasn’t underway, as I was desperate to see a game! Still, it gives me a reason to go back to this paradise island!
The Mauritian Premier League was established in 1935, and there are currently ten teams competing in the league. The most successful teams in the league are the brilliantly named FC Dodo – Mauritius is the last-known home of the now-extinct pre-historic bird – and Fire Brigade SC, both of whom have 13 titles to their name.
In the present day, Pamplemousses SC dominate the domestic landscape in Mauritius, winning the title for three years straight between 2016 and 2019, before the national soccer league was canceled due to Covid-19.
The past two seasons have been canceled due to the pandemic, and the Mauritian FA has yet to announce when the next season will get underway.
What about the Mauritian national team?
Even though I live in East Africa, I haven’t heard a great deal about the Mauritian national team! However, they are a member of FIFA and are a member team of CAF – the African soccer federation.
At the time of writing, Mauritius are ranked 180th in the FIFA World Rankings, so they’re not one of the better soccer teams out there, in spite of the undoubted beauty of their home island!
They have only made one appearance at the Africa Cup of Nations – in 1974 – and failed to get out of the group stages. They have never made it to the FIFA World Cup.
Given that I visited Mauritius during an international break, I was hoping to see Les Dodos in action, but it turns out that they didn’t have a fixture during my trip. It seems like I need to get a little better with my preparations in the future.
Are there any notable Mauritian soccer players?
When it comes to famous soccer players from Mauritius, the island hasn’t been blessed with talented players that have made it into the big European leagues. Jacques-Desire Periatambee played for his entire career in France, representing the likes of Grenoble, Le Mans, and Bastia.
From a national team perspective, the most capped Mauritian player of all time is Henri Speville, who earned 72 caps throughout his career, which spanned from 1996 – 2007.
Daniel Imbert has the honor of being the top-scoring Mauritian international player of all time, notching 17 times for Les Dodos between 1972 and 1983.
So, unless you have a keen interest in soccer in Mauritius, you’re unlikely to have heard of many of the national team’s current crop of players. Still, that’s all the more reason to schedule a game into your itinerary when you visit the island on your upcoming vacation!
Ground hopping in Mauritius: My visit to 4 soccer stadiums
During my vacation in Mauritius earlier this month, I was disappointed to hear that there were no matches on during my stay, as I would have loved to have given a match report! However, I did take the opportunity to visit a number of stadiums during my visit to Mauritius, and here is an introduction to four of the leading soccer stadiums in the country:
Name: Anjalay Stadium
Location: Belle Vue Harel, Pamplemousses
Capacity: 16,000
Year Built: 1991
The largest stadium in Mauritius, Anjalay Stadium, is used for several sports, most notably soccer and car racing. It was built in 1991 and underwent an expensive refurb in 2003, with $15 million spent on the project.
When the Mauritius national team plays high-profile soccer matches, they take place at Anjalay Stadium. However, most of their matches are played at the George V Stadium, as introduced below.
Name: George V Stadium
Location: Curepipe
Capacity: 6,500
Year Built: 2003
In spite of the fact that it’s considerably smaller than the Anjalay Stadium, George V Stadium is the home of the Mauritius national team. It was rebuilt in 2003 and was used as a key venue in the Indian Ocean Island Games.
The stadium is also home to several Mauritian Premier League teams, as many are located in the central and southern districts that are close to the stadium’s location.
Name: Stade Auguste Vollaire
Location: Centre de Flacq
Capacity: 4,000
Year Built: 1991 (renovated in 2003)
In the region of Flacq in the center of Mauritius is the Stade Auguste Vollaire. It’s primarily used as the home stadium of Faucon Flacq SC, one of the teams that currently competes in the Mauritian Premier League.
Aside from soccer in Mauritius, the Stade Auguste Vollaire also hosted the final of the 2019 Indian Ocean Island Games, which saw Mauritius compete against Reunion in multiple sports.
Name: Stade Germain Comarmond
Location: Bambous
Capacity: 5,000
Year Built: 2003
Last but not least on my groundhopping tour of Mauritius is the Stade Germain Comaromond, a multi-use venue in Bambous. It is regularly used for athletics events, and when I visited, there were people running around the track (I opted not to join them!).
The Mauritius youth soccer teams (u17 and u20) call this stadium home, while Petite Riviere Noire SC and Bambous SC play their home matches in the Mauritian Premier League here.
The verdict: Soccer in Mauritius
Like most African countries, the people I met in Mauritius love soccer. The popularity of the sport is also seen by the multitude of grassroots soccer pitches, as well as the fact that the Mauritian Premier League is nationally popular.
So, if you’re planning a vacation to this paradise island, don’t forget that soccer in Mauritius is super popular, and you might be luckier than me and get the opportunity to enjoy a match while you’re there.