They are nicknamed The Sugar Boyz due to the sugar cultivation on the island of St. Kitts.[citation needed]
History
Beginnings (1938–1990)
Saint Kitts and Nevis played their first match on 18 August 1938, against Grenada, a match that ended in a 2–4 defeat.[3] They participated in the Leeward Islands Tournament from 1949 however had to wait until 1979 to play their first official matches, in the qualifying rounds for the 1979 CFU Championship, losing twice to Jamaica, both results finishing 2–1.[citation needed] They would again fail to qualify for the final phase of the 1983 CFU Championship, after advancing due to Jamaica's withdrawal, they'd be eliminated by Martinique, who won 12–0 on aggregate.[citation needed]
In the Caribbean Cup, the Sugar Boyz did not repeat the successes of the '90s and could only qualify to the final phase of the 2001 Caribbean Cup, although they did not advance beyond the group phase.[citation needed] They have not returned to a final phase since that edition.[citation needed]
In October 2016, it reached its highest ranking in the FIFA world ranking (73rd place) thanks to its good performance in the 2nd round of the 2017 Caribbean Cup of Nations qualifiers.[citation needed] However, two defeats against French Guiana (0–1) and Haiti at home (0–2 a.e.t.) stopped the Sugar Boyz in the 3rd round of these qualifiers.[citation needed] The year ends with a 1–1 draw in Basseterre against Estonia on November 19, 2016, in a friendly match, one year after playing against the same team in Tallinn.[citation needed]
The Sugar Boyz played Andorra again on March 25, 2022, six and a half years after their first confrontation, for a friendly match in Andorra la Vella.[citation needed] This time the Principality's selection wins against Saint Kitts and Nevis on its home stadium (1–0).[citation needed]
They qualified for their first ever CONCACAF Gold Cup in 2023.[citation needed]
