The Martinique national football team emerged from the French overseas department of Martinique in the Caribbean, with its governing body, the Ligue de Football de la Martinique, operating as a local branch of the French Football Federation (FFF). Because Martinique is part of the French Republic rather than an independent nation, the team has never been eligible for FIFA membership, meaning the FIFA World Cup remains out of reach. Martiniquais players hold French citizenship and are therefore also eligible to represent France at the international level.
Despite operating outside FIFA's structure, Martinique has carved out a meaningful identity within the CONCACAF and CFU frameworks. The team joined CONCACAF as an associate member in 1964 and achieved full membership in 2013. At the regional level, their finest hours came in the CFU Championship — a precursor to the Caribbean Cup — where they claimed back-to-back titles in 1983 and 1985. The Caribbean Cup itself then fell to Martinique in 1993, won dramatically on penalties against hosts Jamaica in the final. A runner-up finish followed in 1994, underlining a period of genuine regional strength.
On the broader CONCACAF stage, the team made its Gold Cup debut in 1993 and has since appeared in the competition eight times. Their best result came in 2002, when they reached the quarterfinals before losing to Canada on penalties. The 2010 Coupe de l'Outre-Mer added another piece of silverware, with Martinique defeating Réunion in a penalty shootout. In 2010 the team also adopted the nickname Les Matinino, a nod to the island's own history and indigenous heritage. That name has since become central to the side's identity as a small but proud footballing nation within the Caribbean.