Haiti have been forced into a late change on their World Cup 2026 shirts after Fifa accused them of violating its regulations on political speech, just days before their opening match against Scotland.
The shirt, manufactured by Colombian company Saeta and previously worn in pre-tournament friendlies against New Zealand and Peru, depicted a war scene from the Battle of Vertières in 1803 – the battle that secured Haiti's independence. Saeta had said the design was intended to celebrate "the pride, resilience, and spirit" of the Haitian people and insisted it was not a political statement.
“Haiti changed their World Cup shirt after Fifa objected to a design featuring the Battle of Vertières independence scene.”
But Fifa objected, ruling the illustration contravened its rules against any "political, religious, or personal messages or slogans" on kits. On Wednesday, Saeta confirmed the change, saying in a 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. While this interpretation differed from our intention, Saeta respected the process and implemented the final requirements communicated by FIFA."
The 2026 World Cup, hosted across the United States, Canada and Mexico, is the biggest in history with 48 teams. Haiti are playing in their first World Cup in 52 years – their only previous appearance came in 1974, when they lost all three group games, conceding 14 goals.
But hopes are higher this time around after a 4-0 win over New Zealand and a narrow 2-1 defeat to Peru in warm-up matches. Haiti are in Group C alongside Scotland, Morocco and Brazil. Their campaign begins on Saturday against Scotland in Boston.
Fifa, the Haitian Football Federation and the team's media officer did not immediately respond when asked by Reuters for comment on the shirt dispute.
The tournament will be broadcast in the UK by the BBC and ITV.