As of 26 October 2023, the Dominican Republic is currently ranked 146th in the FIFA World Rankings. As is the case in many other Caribbean nations, association football has not traditionally been the most popular sport in the Dominican Republic. Interest in baseball diverts away from football and contributes to the country's lack of success in any major football tournament qualification. As of 2022, the Dominican Republic has never qualified for the FIFA World Cup. In 2024, they qualified to the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup, the first major tournament in their history.
The Dominican Football Federation was founded in 1953 and joined FIFA in 1959. The national team played their first games in May 1967 – a two-legged qualifier against Haiti for a place in the football at the 1968 Summer Olympics of Mexico. The first leg was played at home on 21 May and Haiti won 8–0. The second leg in Haiti was won by the hosts 6–0 on 27 May, as Haiti went through 14–0 on aggregate.[citation needed]
The Dominican Republic did not play another match until March 1970, when they entered at the 1970 Central American and Caribbean Games in Panama. They were placed in a group with Puerto Rico and Venezuela. The Dominican Republic lost 5–0 to Venezuela on 4 March, then gained their first ever win on 6 March by beating Puerto Rico 5–0. They did not advance to the next round.[citation needed]
In 1971 the Dominican Republic entered the 1971 Pan American Games in Colombia and were drawn in a group against the Bahamas and Canada. They lost 4–2 to the Bahamas on 31 July and 4–0 to Canada on 2 August and were knocked out.[citation needed]
The team did not play again until 16 December 1973, when they lost 1–0 away to Venezuela. In 1974 the Dominican Republic held the Central American and Caribbean Games, and lost their first match 3–2 to Bermuda on 28 February. On 2 March the team lost 1–0 to Mexico, before beating the Bahamas 2–0 on 4 March. In the final group game on 8 March the Dominican Republic lost 3–2 to Panama and were knocked out.[3]
In 1986 they had their best result in the Central American and Caribbean games finishing 3rd
