The Caribbean country is taking part in the tournament for the first time in 52 years.
In a surprising turn of events, Italy never qualified for this summer’s World Cup, and Haiti did. For the first time in over 50 years, the Caribbean country will compete in the global tournament, which kicks off in a matter of weeks. It will mark Haiti’s second ever appearance at the event – the only other time it took part was in 1974.
To celebrate this historic moment, Haitian-Italian fashion designer Stella Jean is releasing a series of special-edition, hand-stitched football jerseys. Each one has the number 26 printed on the back, an ode to the 2026 tournament. “It marks a year of rebirth,” says Jean. “52 years later, we celebrate Haiti shining again on football’s biggest stage. It’s never too late to rise, to lift our heads and make the impossible visible.”
It’s the second time Team Haiti has made headlines this year. Back in February, Jean designed Team Haiti’s Winter Olympics kit, which undeniably became the standout uniforms of the entire Games. “We are one of the smallest, poorest delegations, but in this Olympic arena, we will be equal to all the others. We are so much more than the tragedy that we are living right now,” Jean told Dazed at the time, referring to the country’s continued political unrest.
This time round, it’s not just the Olympians that can wear Stella Jean’s sportswear. The designer’s football jerseys are available to pre-order now, here, just in time for the World Cup. “Wear it the Haitian way: bold, proud, unbreakable,” she says. “If your flag does not fly this season, stand anyway. Stand for Haiti. Stand for all who still hunger for the only revolution needed: peace.”
