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After FIFA ordered the removal of revolutionary imagery, the team will begin its historic World Cup return in redesigned kits. Here\u2019s what changed \u2014 and why it matters.<\/p>\n
When Haiti takes the field against Scotland Saturday night in its first World Cup match in 52 years, Les Grenadiers<\/em> will wear a jersey re-designed at the last minute after FIFA ordered the removal of artwork inspired by Haiti\u2019s history of liberation. The redesign sparked yet another controversy in a debate that erupted last year over which cultural assets should represent Haiti and who gets to decide.<\/p>\n \u201cHaiti\u2019s team already has the uniforms with the requested changes,\u201d a Saeta spokesperson told The Haitian Times <\/em>in a WhatsApp message Thursday. \u201cThey will have all the FIFA-approved uniforms for the World Cup matches.\u201d<\/p>\n The Colombia-based company, which has supplied Haiti\u2019s national teams since 2014, said it worked with the Haitian Football Federation (FHF<\/a>) throughout the design process and had submitted several concepts through FIFA\u2019s approval system. Saeta said the design was never intended to make a political statement and respected FIFA\u2019s request to modify it, even though the interpretation differed from its original intent.<\/p>\n \u201cOur objective throughout the process was to create a jersey that celebrated the pride, resilience and spirit of the Haitian people,\u201d Saeta further said in a statement via social media<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n The revised jerseys \u2014 available in Haiti\u2019s traditional blue for home games, white for away matches and red as a third option \u2014 were already worn by players for FIFA\u2019s official portraits before the tournament.<\/p>\n L-R: Leverton Pierre during the national anthem before Haiti\u2019s World Cup qualifying match against Nicaragua at Ergilio Hato Stadium in Willemstad, Cura\u00e7ao, on Tuesday, November 18, 2025. Photo credit: Haitian Football Federation | Haiti home match jerseys originally designed for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, before the FIFA-mandated alteration. | Haiti co-captain and center-back Ricardo Ad\u00e9 poses in a FIFA portrait session wearing the altered blue jersey, Tuesday, June 9, 2026. Photo credit: FIFA (Emilee Chinn\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n An official with the Haitian Football Federation (FHF) told The Athletic<\/em><\/a> that FIFA\u2019s deeming the shirt political was \u201ca misinterpretation,\u201d without giving further details. The team\u2019s spokesperson said the federation did not object to FIFA and had asked Saeta to amend the jerseys urgently.<\/p>\n Gone is the artwork on the lower right side of the kit depicting silhouettes inspired by the Battle of Verti\u00e8res. The seminal event in the revolution against France by enslaved people led to the creation of Haiti as the world\u2019s first Black republic. FIFA ruled the imagery could violate equipment regulations<\/a> prohibiting political, religious, discriminatory or personal messages.<\/p>\n For many Haitians, the decision became more than a question of uniform rules. It reopened a broader conversation about who controls the interpretation of Haitian history and how the country\u2019s symbols are viewed on the global stage.<\/p>\n Amesta B\u00e9lizaire, a resident of Port-au-Prince, questioned whether similar scrutiny on potential equipment violations is applied equally to all countries.<\/p>\n \u201cFIFA applies the equipment standard\u2019s rule on Haiti because it\u2019s a small country,\u201d she said.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIf [President] Donald Trump is overly politicizing and discriminating by refusing to issue visas to a certain category of people to participate in the World Cup, and FIFA does not say anything, they must leave us alone with our uniform.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n \t\t\t<\/p>\n \tRelated<\/em><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n