"There are 14 dead. Ten were killed on the field and four more died on their way to the hospital," said Leonel Sauceda, a spokesman for Honduras' Security Ministry.

The armed men arrived in two vehicles with large guns and started shooting at a group that was preparing for a soccer match in San Pedro Sula, a major hub for the country's textile industry located about 100 miles north of Tegucigalpa.

It was not immediately clear what triggered the attack, but the area is home to violent rival gangs often involved in drug trafficking.

In September, 17 people were killed by hitmen belonging to street gangs connected to violent Mexican drug cartels.

Battling street gangs and competing cartels have led to a sharp escalation of violent crime in Honduras in recent years.

San Pedro Sula is in a region where drug gangs are known to refine cocaine before it heads to markets in the United States.