World Cup team forced to change jersey just days before facing Liverpool legend

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Haiti was forced to change its World Cup kit just days before the tournament in North America after FIFA deemed the original design to have breached its equipment regulationsHaiti was forced to change its kit(Image: Getty Images)Haiti has been forced to make a last-minute kit alteration mere days ahead of its World Cup opener.The Caribbean nation, set to face Brazil and Morocco alongside Scotland in the group phase, was discovered to have breached FIFA's regulations with its initial strip. Liverpool legend Andy Robertson, who recently completed a free transfer to Tottenham, is expected to play for Scotland against Haiti.Haiti's original design, produced by kit supplier Saeta, featured imagery from the Battle of Vertieres — a pivotal conflict in Haiti's fight for independence from France during the early 1800s.

FIFA, however, forbids any political messaging, and it's believed this regulation prompted the amendment."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," a statement from Saeta read."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.Andy Robertson and Scotland will face Haiti at the World Cup(Image: Getty Images)"During the review process, FIFA determined that certain visual elements could be interpreted differently under its equipment regulations and ultimately requested modifications to the design."While this interpretation differed from our intention, Saeta respected the process and implemented the final requirements communicated by FIFA."We remain proud to have contributed, alongside the Haitian Football Federation, to this historic moment for Haitian football and wish the team every success at the FIFA World Cup."With the United States, Canada, and Mexico securing automatic qualification as co-hosts, just three additional nations from the CONCACAF confederation earned their spots at the tournament.Haiti had not featured at a World Cup finals since 1974, when it was eliminated at the opening stage.The country's 52-year wait finally came to an end after it topped a group comprising Honduras, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua, with fellow CONCACAF group victors Curacao and Panama also progressing to the group stage.A further two sides advanced to the intercontinental playoffs, though neither Jamaica nor Suriname secured their spots in the finals.Haiti, guided by French head coach Sebastien Migne, played out two warm-up friendlies in Miami ahead of the tournament. It romped to a 4-0 victory over New Zealand before suffering a narrow 2-1 defeat to Peru.