Just days before they face Scotland in their first World Cup match in 52 years, Haiti have been forced into a frantic kit change after FIFA ruled that their original design carried a political message.
The Caribbean side, drawn alongside Scotland, Brazil and Morocco in the group stage, had planned to wear a shirt from manufacturer Saeta featuring an image of the Battle of Vertieres – a key moment in the country’s eventual independence from France. But FIFA’s strict prohibition on political statements meant the design had to be dropped hours before kick-off.
“Haiti forced to change World Cup kit hours before Scotland match after FIFA bans 'political' design”
“Working in close collaboration with the Haitian Football Federation, our objective throughout the process was to create a jersey that celebrated the pride, resilience and spirit of the Haitian people,” Saeta said in a statement. “Several concepts were developed and refined over a number of months and submitted through FIFA's standard approval process. 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. During the review process, FIFA determined that certain visual elements could be interpreted differently under its equipment regulations and ultimately requested modifications to the design.”
Haiti, coached by Frenchman Sebastien Migne, have not appeared at a men's World Cup since 1974. They ended that drought by topping a CONCACAF group containing Honduras, Costa Rica and Nicaragua. Pre-tournament friendlies in Miami brought a 4-0 win over New Zealand and a 2-1 defeat to Peru.
Their opening fixture against Scotland takes place in Foxborough, Massachusetts – a match that marks Scotland’s first men’s World Cup since 1998. BBC Sport has responded to that long-awaited return by making it easier for Scottish fans to follow the team. Users signed in with a Scottish postcode will see extra Scottish stories on the website front page during the tournament, while those using the BBC Sport app can select topics such as Scotland Sport and Scotland Men’s Football Team to have news appear at the top of the Home tab.
The kit controversy has added an unwelcome layer of drama to Haiti’s build-up, but Saeta insisted they respected the process: “While this interpretation differed from our intention, Saeta respected the process and implemented the final requirements communicated by FIFA. We remain proud to have contributed, alongside the Haitian Football Federation, to this historic moment for Haitian football and wish the team every success at the FIFA World Cup.”