Ahead of its first match in the 2026 World Cup, the Haitian national soccer team was forced to make a last-minute change to its jersey. FIFA, the sport’s global governing body, said the jersey design violated its rules, which ban political slogans or imagery.

Haitian Revolution Commemoration

The commemoration was doubly symbolic since Haiti officially qualified for the World Cup for just the second time in the men’s tournament’s history on Nov. 18, 2025, which also marked the 222nd anniversary of the famous 1803 battle that secured Haiti’s victory over France in its war for independence.

The jersey featured an image depicting the Battle of Vertières and some independence heroes raising the Haitian flag. The image is believed to include Jean-Jacques Dessalines, who led the Haitian revolutionaries during the Battle of Vertières and was Haiti’s first head of state.

Historical Context

The Haitian Revolution was the world’s first and only successful slave revolution. In August 1791, enslaved men and women rose up in revolution, forcing the French to abolish slavery within two years. The revolution became a war for independence when the French tried to reinstitute slavery in 1802.

Dessalines declared Haitian independence on Jan. 1, 1804, and Haiti became the first nation to permanently ban slavery. However, the effort to discredit the Haitian Revolution by targeting Dessalines began during the war for independence against the French and has continued to this day.

The World Cup jersey ban marks Haiti’s second sartorial controversy of 2026. In early 2026, the International Olympic Committee required Haiti’s Winter Olympics team to modify its opening ceremony outfit for similar reasons.

Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.