FIFA Forces Haiti To Redesign World Cup Shirt Over Battle Scene Days Before Tournament Opener

Haiti has been compelled to redesign its FIFA World Cup 2026 kit just days before its opening fixture, after football’s governing body outlawed a depiction of the historic Battle of Vertières on its shirts.
FIFA raised objections to silhouettes on the shirt’s right hip, inspired by the 1803 battle, a defining moment in Haiti’s revolution, when revolutionary leader Jean-Jacques Dessalines tore the white band from a French tricolour to craft a new flag for what became the world’s first free Black republic. The moment is commemorated across the nation every 18th May.
Kit manufacturers Saeta confirmed they had collaborated with FIFA to comply with the stipulated changes, maintaining the d...