Haiti was ordered by FIFA to alter their 2026 World Cup jersey design just days before their opening game against Scotland on June 14 at Boston Stadium in Foxborough. The original jersey included imagery inspired by the 1803 Battle of Vertières, a key moment in Haiti's independence revolution, which FIFA deemed political under its rules prohibiting political, religious, or personal messages on team kits [1, 2, 3, 4, 5].
The kit manufacturer Saeta said the design was meant to honor the pride and resilience of the Haitian people, not to make a political statement. "The final design presented by Saeta was intended as a tribute to the men and women who contribute every day to Haiti’s future and was not intended as a political statement," the company said. Saeta complied with FIFA's request to change the design, respecting the process despite differing interpretations [1, 2, 3, 4, 5].
A spokesperson for the Haitian national team described viewing the historical symbols as political expression a "misunderstanding," emphasizing the intent was simply to commemorate an important moment in the country’s history, not deliver a political message [3].
Haiti qualified for the tournament on November 18, 2025—the anniversary of the Battle of Vertières—marking their first World Cup appearance in 52 years. Their previous showing in 1974 resulted in three group stage losses. Haiti’s squad is largely composed of foreign-based players due to conditions in the country, and coach Sebastien Migne has yet to visit Haiti [1, 6, 7, 3, 8].
Haiti’s group includes Brazil, a five-time World Cup winner, and Morocco. Scotland, playing their first World Cup since 1998, will face Haiti in the opener and midfielder Ryan Christie said, "No one was complacent about Haiti - ranked 83rd by FIFA - but it gives us the chance to get off to a good start" [1, 6, 7, 8].
The jersey modifications were requested during FIFA’s review between June 10 and June 11. Haiti’s match against Scotland is scheduled for June 14 at Boston Stadium, kicking off their 2026 World Cup campaign [1, 2, 3, 4, 8].
