Haiti has been forced to change its 2026 FIFA World Cup jersey after the governing body ruled that certain elements were overly political. In a statement, the jersey designers, Saeta, confirmed they were working with FIFA and the Haitian Football Federation to make the necessary changes to meet the requirements.

“Working in close collaboration with the Haitian Football Federation, our objective throughout the process was to create a jersey that celebrated the pride, resilience, and spirit of the Haitian people,” the statement said.

“Several concepts were developed and refined over a number of months and submitted through FIFA’s standard approval process. The final design presented by Saeta was intended as a tribute to the men and women who contribute every day to Haiti’s future and was not intended as a political statement.”

Although the shirt — coloured in blue, white, and red — contained no overtly controversial elements, objections were raised over silhouettes inspired by the Battle of Vertières and the Haitian Revolution. Organisers said the iconography appeared to embed symbols of Haitian resistance against the former French empire.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has once again brought attention to the tournament by stating that his administration would ensure only the “right people” enter the United States for the event.

The tournament, already described by some as one of the most controversial World Cups in history due to issues over pricing and entry rules, is set to commence later today.