Illustrations of the 1803 Battle of Vertieres, which secured Haiti’s independence, and the Haitian flag were embedded in the shirts worn by players in the two friendlies.
Published June 11, 2026
Haiti was forced to change the design of its uniforms days before the opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after the governing body banned depictions of war scenes on shirts.
Saeta confirmed the change in a statement he posted on Instagram on Wednesday, following FIFA’s objection to an illustration of the 1803 Battle of Bertières that secured Haiti’s independence, with the national flag embedded in the uniforms worn by players during two warm-up games in the US state of Florida.
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“The final design that Mr. Saeta presented was intended as a tribute to the men and women who contribute to Haiti’s future every day, and was not intended to be a political statement,” Saeta said in a statement.
Haitian soccer players wore the shirts in friendly matches against Peru on June 5th and New Zealand on June 2nd.
According to FIFA’s Equipment Regulations, it is prohibited to use “political, religious or personal messages or slogans” on the kit.
Colombian manufacturer Saeta said it had modified the kit to meet FIFA regulations.
“During the review process, FIFA determined that certain visual elements could be interpreted differently based on the Equipment Regulations and ultimately requested changes to the design,” Saeta said in a statement.
“Although this interpretation was different from our intentions, Saeta respected the process and implemented the final requirements communicated by FIFA.”
Haiti begins its first World Cup campaign in 52 years on Saturday, June 13th, against Scotland in Boston.
After that, they will play against South American powerhouse Brazil in Philadelphia on June 19th, and five days later they will play against African powerhouse Morocco in Atlanta, USA.
Al Jazeera’s dedicated FIFA World Cup 2026 page keeps you up to date with all the latest news, match developments and live text commentary, as well as group standings, real-time results and schedules.
