FIFA bans Haiti's jersey hours before opening FIFA World Cup 2026 match

Haiti's preparations for the FIFA World Cup 2026 have been disrupted by an unexpected kit issue after FIFA instructed the team to alter its playing shirt shortly before the start of the tournament.

The controversy centres around a design element included on the jersey produced by Colombian manufacturer Saeta. The original version featured an illustration of the Battle of Vertieres, the historic 1803 conflict that secured Haiti's independence, alongside the national flag. The shirt had already been worn by Haiti's players during recent warm-up matches in Florida against Peru and New Zealand.

After which, FIFA reviewed the design and the governing body objected to the imagery and requested changes before the tournament. Saeta subsequently confirmed that the design had been modified in accordance with FIFA regulations.

“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,” Saeta said in the statement.

Under FIFA's equipment rules, teams are prohibited from displaying any political, religious or personal messages and



slogans on official match kits. The interpretation of the imagery became the central issue during the approval process.

“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,” Saeta said in the statement.

Notably, the decision arrives at a significant moment for Haitian football. The nation is preparing for its first World Cup appearance in 52 years and is set to begin its campaign against Scotland in Boston on June 13. A challenging group-stage schedule awaits thereafter. Haiti will travel to Philadelphia to face Brazil on June 19 before taking on Morocco in Atlanta five days later.

Despite the late alteration to the kit, attention within the camp is expected to remain firmly fixed on the tournament itself as Haiti returns to football's biggest stage. The jersey debate, however, has added an unexpected chapter to the build-up of one of the country's most anticipated sporting moments in decades.