FIFA orders Haiti to redesign World Cup kit over 1803 battle scene, days before Scotland opener
Haiti's national team has been ordered to modify its World Cup shirts just three days before their opening match against Scotland, after FIFA ruled that a depiction of the 1803 Battle of Vertières violated its ban on political imagery.
Haiti's return to the men's World Cup for the first time since 1974 has been overshadowed by a last-minute kit redesign ordered by FIFA. The Colombian manufacturer Saeta confirmed on Wednesday that football's world governing body had requested modifications to both the home and away jerseys, which featured a graphic of the Battle of Vertières, the final battle of the Haitian Revolution that secured the country's independence from France.
The disputed design
The original kit, a royal blue home shirt produced by Saeta, depicted a war scene from the 1803 battle alongside the date 18 November 1803 and the Haitian flag. The design had already been worn by the team in pre-tournament friendlies. Saeta stated that the concept was developed in collaboration with the Haitian Football Federation and was intended to celebrate "the pride, resilience, and spirit" of the Haitian people, not to serve as a political statement.
The kit was a tribute to the men and women who contribute every day to Haiti's future and was not intended as a political statement.
FIFA's equipment regulations prohibit any "political, religious, or personal messages or slogans" on team uniforms. During its review process, the governing body determined that certain visual elements could be interpreted differently under those rules and ultimately requested the changes.
The team's response
A spokesperson for the Haitian national team described the decision as stemming from a "misinterpretation" by FIFA officials, who asked the federation to remove the image depicting Vertières and independence heroes raising the Haitian flag. The spokesperson noted an irony in the timing: Haiti qualified for the World Cup on 18 November 2025, the same date as the 1803 battle.
Following a misinterpretation, FIFA officials asked the federation to remove an image depicting Vertières and some independence heroes raising the Haitian flag. Vertieres is the site of the last battle leading to our independence, fought on November 18, 1803. Ironically, the team qualified for the 2025 World Cup on November 18, 2025.
Saeta confirmed it had implemented the final requirements communicated by FIFA and that the revised kits would be ready in time for the tournament. Neither FIFA nor the Haitian Football Federation responded to initial media requests for comment.
Tournament context
Haiti are competing in Group C alongside Scotland, Brazil, and Morocco. Their opening match against Scotland is scheduled for Saturday 13 June at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. The team will then face Brazil on 19 June in Philadelphia and Morocco on 24 June in Atlanta. Scotland, managed by Steve Clarke, will wear their Adidas away kit for the opening fixture.
- Battle of Vertières, the final battle of the Haitian Revolution, secures independence from France.
- Haiti qualifies for the 2026 World Cup on the anniversary of the Battle of Vertières.
- FIFA orders Haiti to modify its World Cup kit, ruling the battle scene violates equipment regulations.
- Haiti opens its World Cup campaign against Scotland at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
Wider significance
The Battle of Vertières, fought on 18 November 1803 in northern Haiti, was the decisive engagement of the Haitian Revolution. An army of formerly enslaved Haitians defeated French colonial forces, leading to the establishment of Haiti as the first independent Black republic and the second independent nation in the Americas. The imagery on the kit was seen by its designers as a celebration of national identity, but FIFA's strict interpretation of its regulations on political expression in sport ultimately prevailed.
