Haiti is heading to its first World Cup in over half a century, and it almost did so wearing the wrong jersey. FIFA rejected the national team’s original kit design, deeming elements of it political, which forced manufacturer Saeta to scramble for a redesign just days before the tournament kicks off.
The offending graphics referenced the Battle of Vertières, the 1803 clash that effectively sealed Haitian independence from France. Apparently, commemorating a 223-year-old battle for freedom counts as a political statement in FIFA’s eyes.
What FIFA found objectionable
FIFA’s equipment regulations prohibit political messaging on match-day kits. The governing body determined that the imagery inspired by the Battle of Vertières crossed that line, regardless of its historical and cultural significance to the Haitian people.
Saeta, the Colombia-based manufacturer responsible for the kit, made the necessary modifications. The revised design has since been approved by FIFA, clearing Haiti to take the pitch in compliant gear.
