World Cup ’26: Group Stage, Kit Review

We are at that point where the first set of teams are heading home, the Group Stage concluded on 27th June (well 28th June in Europe). 16 Teams have been eliminated, as we head into the Knockout phase of the competition.

It is time for me to take a look at the Kits worn through-out the Group Stages and those worn in the last round of games.

1st Round of Group games can be found here

2nd Round of Group games can be found here

Overview of Kits

Total Kits Used

  • Kits Worn in Total – 102
  • New Kits in Round 3 of games – 19
  • Primary Kits in Total – 61
  • Secondary Kits in Total – 36
  • 3rd Kits in Total – 5
  • 12 teams to wear three different kits in their three group games
  • 30 Teams wore two different kits
  • 6 Teams have worn a single kit look
  • 4 Teams in Primary, Secondary and Third Kits.

Match 3 Fixtures

Looking into the Groups in more detail…

Group A – 9 Kits

Mexico are the stand out team in Group A, wearing Primary, Secondary and Third Kits in their 3 games. South Africa wore just their Primary Kit, but with alternative yellow shorts in 2 of their games. Both Czechia and South Korea wore Primary Kits twice and Secondary Kits just the once.

Group B – 9 Kits

Canada, the second co-hosts to wear all three (Primary, Secondary and Third) Kits in their Group Games are the majorty talking point with regards to Kit usage in Group B. The remaining teams wore Primary / Secondary Kits with no variations, with Switzerland wearing their Primary Kit twice and Qatar, Bosnia & Hertzegovina both wearing their secondary kits twice.

Group C – 9 Kits

Another Group with 9 Kits in total, and another team with 3 different kits in their 3 games, this time Brazil wore a variation of their Primary Kit with alternative white shorts against Scotland. The other teams were in 2 different kit looks, Morocco in their Primary Kit twice, Haiti in their Secondary Kit twice and Scotland wore their Primary Kit twice and wore their Secondary Kit with alternative salmon socks.

Group D – 9 Kits

Our fourth group in a row with 9 Kits and USA complete the hat-trick of Hosts wearing 3 different kits in their group games, however unlike Mexico and Canada who wore three distinct kits, USA done this with a variation of their Primary Kit with white alternative shorts worn in their opening game. Australia wore their Primary Kit in all their games but with an all (canary) yellow look used. Paraguay wore their Primary Kit just once and did so with alternative white shorts.

Group E – 8 kits

Our first group with under 9 Kits, however the run of teams wearing 3 different Kits continues with Ecuador, who wore a mash up of the Secondary / Third Kits, Primary Kit in all yellow and finally their Primary Kit in it’s default look in their final group game against Germany. Ivory Coast are our first team to wear a single kit look in the Group Stage and Curaçao wear one of the teams with the most popular secondary kits in the competition, however they did not get to use it, wearing 2 variations of their Primary kit in their games.

Group F – 8 Kits

Group F, provided each team in 2 different Kit looks… Netherlands and Japan both wore 2 variations of their Primary Kit, both wearing alternative shorts to create a single colour kit look in one game. Sweden wore their Secondary Kit once and used alternative yellow shorts.

Group G – 6 Kits

Group G is the first group where we saw a single kit worn and in fact there was two, with Belgium and Iran both only wearng their Primary Kit. Eygpt wore both their kits with different shorts, wearing their Primary twice with secondary shorts and vice versa when wearing their Secondary Kit. New Zealand wearing both their kits meant it was just the 6 Kits worn in this group!

Group H – 10 Kits

10 Kits in Group H the most kits in a single group, with both Uruaguay and Cape Verde in three different kits in their three games. Cape Verde wore Primary, Secondary and Third Kits, Uruguay started the tournament in their Primary Kit with alternative white shorts, and then wore both Primary and Secondary Kits in their default looks. Spain wore their popular Secondary Kit with alternative white shorts and socks when they used it in their final game.

Group I – 9 Kits

We are back to the 9 Kit Groups with Group I, France the team here to wear three different kit looks, with Primary and Secondary worn and then an “All Blue” alternative Primay look. Norway wore their Primary Kit twice (my favourite shirt of the tournament), however they wore it with alterntative red shorts and socks, this is the third different colour shorts they have worn in the kit’s short lifespan! Senegal wore their Primary Kit in all three games, but used green shorts in their opening game.

Group J – 9 Kits

Another 9 Kit Group, Holders Argentina started the tournament in the look they ended the 2022 Victory with alternative white shorts and socks, following this up with Primary and Secondary kits in their default looks. Austria were another team to wear their Primary Kit in all three games but with a single alternative look, this was with white shorts.

Group K – 7 Kits

Our first group with 7 Kits, however the main kit talking point was Colombia in this group, with three different kits used, however all three looks wear alternative looks, with Secondary worn with alternative neon socks, and Primary worn once with alternative white shorts and once with alternative white socks! Two teams were in a single kit look, Portugal and Uzebekistan, who wore their secondary all white kit in their three games. DR Congo, who progressed through to the knock out phase wearing their third kit in their final game.

Group L – 9 Kits

The final group and it’s another group with 9 kits (7 in total). There were two teams with three different kit looks, with Panama wearing Primary, Secondary and Third Kits, England wore Primary and Secondary Kits, and also wore their Primary Kit with their secondary shorts for a kit mash up! Ghana wore just the one kit, however this was their secondary kit.

Kit Highlights from Match 3

It looks like Guillermo Ochoa played his final game of his career, coming on as a sub in Mexico’s victory against Czechia, this is his 6th time being part of the Mexican World Cup Squad and wearing ths wonderful goalkeeper kit (with tri-colour Adidas Stripes and Trefoil logo) with a “Legcay” Player patch.

Scotland’s current use of all navy blue for their Primary Kit, meant that Brazil used alternative white shorts a look not worn at World Cups by Brazil since the 3rd/4th Place Off in 2014!

England wore a change kit at Major Championship Finals for the first time in 2906 Days, back to the 3rd/4th Placed Playoff game in 2018… 21 games in total!

Colombia wore alternative white socks in their final game against Portugal, these completed their use of alternative kit looks in their group games, and just look at those turnovers… wonderful stuff!

Norway against France was a really nice match up, Norway for the second game in wearing alternative red shorts and socks to create an “All Red” look.

With Germany moving to Nike in 2027, the US Based Brand delivered one of the ingenious pieces of marketing on Thursday, with German team playing at New Jersey Stadum this advert featuring a pixelated image of Jamal Musiala sailed down the neighbouring Hudson River.

That’s it, the Group Stages are done, we will be back at the end of the Tournament with a final round up of World Cup ’26 Kits!

Let me know your thoughts and comments over at my socials.

X – @kit_geek or Bluesky – Kit Geek

Other Posts you may enjoy

World Cup ’26 – Match 1

World Cup ’26 – Match 2

World Cup 2022

England Kit Review 2026

England Kit History

World Cup ’26: Kit Review, Match 2

The second round of fixtures for the 2026 World Cup are now completed, 48 games down… 56 to go!

The use of “Home” and “Away” kit labels are do not feel right when it comes to International Tournaments, I will refer to them as “Primary” and “Secondary” choice kits.

You can found Round 1 of games here

Overview of Kits

There has been some additions of kits here, some 3rd Kits added (Mexico, Cape Verde).

Total Kits Used

  • Kits Worn in Total – 83
  • New Kits in Round 2 of games – 35
  • Primary Kits in Total – 54
  • Secondary Kits in Total – 26
  • 3rd Kits in Total – 3

Match 2 Fixtures

Kit Highlights

There have been 35 teams to wear two different kits in their opening two games, of which 12 of these wore the same kit in two different variations.

13 Teams have worn the same Kit (and variation) in their opening two games, just 27% of the teams competing, of these teams, Bosnia & Hertzegovina, Haiti, Paraguay, Uzebekistan and Ghana have worn their Secondary Kits in both games.

The game between Japan and Tunisia was the 1000th Game at World Cup Finals, and it was celebrated with special patches on both kits but also the referee’s kit, which along with the patch used gold Adidas stripes and trim!!

There have been some 3rd Kits seen in these round of games, with Mexico, Cape Verde and Panama all using their 3rd Kit!

Cape Verde against Uruaguay.

Mexico… A wonderful Kit Match Up, co-hosts Mexico playing against South Korea in Group A, both teams in change kits likely due to colourblind regulations but what we given was a fantastic pair of kits matched up against each other!

Panama in 3rd Kt against Croatia

Brazil took to the field in a World Cup game in a Kit that did not carry the Nike Logo for the first time since 1994 World Cup Final. Their Secondary Kit carries the Jordan “Jumpman” logo, part of the Nike Family but only previously seen on PSG Kits.

Ecuador made it two games in a row wearing a variation of their kits, after mashing up Secondary and 3rd Kits in their opening game, they wore all yellow as a Primary variation.

Colombia were another team to wear two variations of kits, having worn alternative socks with their Secondary Kit in the opening game, they wore their Primary Kit with alternative white shorts.

England wore their Primary Kit in what looks like traditional colours, but this is actually a mash up, the navy shorts are the shorts with their secondary kit, which as we predicted here could offer some interchangability to their kits.

That’s it for the second round of fixtures, we will be back with the final round of games in each of the groups.

Let me know your thoughts and comments over at my socials.

X – @kit_geek or Bluesky – Kit Geek

Other Posts you may enjoy

World Cup ’26 – Match 1

World Cup 2022

England Kit Review 2026

England Kit History

World Cup ’26: Kit Review, Match 1

The World Cup is well and truly underway, we have now seen each of the 48 Nations take to the field, so time to have a look at the kits worn so far by each of the teams.

The use of “Home” and “Away” kit labels are do not feel right when it comes to International Tournaments, I will refer to them as “Primary” and “Secondary” choice kits.

Overview of Kits

A few stats….

For the total of 48 kit appearances, we have seen “Primary” Kits (and variations) used 87.5% and “Secondary” kits (and variations) used 12.5% of the time, with only four Nations in their secondary kit!

Primary – 34

Primary variations – 8 (South Africa, USA, Curaco, Netherlands, Uruguay, Senegal, Norway, Argentina)

Secondary – 14

Secondary variations – 4 (Scotland, Ecuador, Egypt, Colombia) 

One of the first things to call out are the use of patches by the teams, there are several different patches used by the nations, players and for each game.

Teams will wear patches in black or white on their right arm, it appears nations will these patches on Primary and Secondary Kits with alternative used on each, for example…. a nation will wear the white patch on their Primary Kit and Black Patch on their Secondary Kit.

Past winners will have Gold Patches, these six nations again will rotate, gold and white / gold patches with Primary and Secondary Kits.

The Left Arm will have unique patches for each game in tournament, with messages in different colours for each of the game as we move through the tournament.

There are other patches, which appear to be “stickers” on player shirts.

Players making their debut at the World Cup, will wear this patch.

There are also personal awards being worn as patches, Thibaut Courtois wore a “golden glove” patch on his for winning the award in the 2018 Competition.

Lionel Messi wore two patches on his shirt, a “Legacy” patch to celebrate becoming the first male player to play in 6 different World Cups and a bagde (under his captain’s armband) for this player of tournament wins (2014 / 2022).

Match 1 Fixtures

In the opening game between Mexico and South Africa, the South Africian team wore alternative yellow shorts with their Primary Kit, these are bespoke pair of shorts, as their secondary shorts are white (and Adidas Trefoil branded).

Adidas CEO, Björn Gulden “celebrated” the start of the World Cup by wearing a “half and half” shirt of the two teams in the opening fixture. This is very much considered to be a one off to kick the World Cup off!

The much anticipated return of the Adidas Trefoil to the International Stage is happening in this tournament and the first team to wear their change kit containing the logo was Scotland, in their victory against Haiti in Foxborough, MA. They wore the Kit with alternative “salmon” socks.

Ecuador wore a mash up of the change and 3rd Kits, wearing their Change shirt (navy) with their 3rd shorts and socks (white).

Norway wore their Primary Kit with alternative red shorts and socks, this is the 3rd different colour shorts worn with the kit in it’s short life (white as default look and Navy have been worn).

Argentina ended the 2022 World Cup wearing alternative white shorts and socks with their Primary Kit (wearing it in Quarter-Finals, Semi-Finals and the Final), a look they kicked off this tournament in, which was a surprise as the much leaked kit document had the holders in their default look with Navy Shorts and socks and opponents Algeria in white shorts / socks.

Colombia against Uzbekistan saw both Nations in change kits, with Colombia wearing alternative fluorescent socks with their Change Kit.

That’s it for the first round of fixtures, we will be back next week with the second games in each of the groups. Let me know your thoughts and comments over at my socials.

X – @kit_geek or Bluesky – Kit Geek

Diego Maradona – My tribute

Wednesday 25th November 2020 the footballing world lost one of it’s most iconic and gifted players to ever take to the field and I wanted to pay my own small tribute to him.

Diego Armando Maradona, as he was in my Panini 1986 World Cup sticker album was footballing royality, he almost single handedly won a World Cup for his country and a spearheaded Napoli to their only two Serie A titles.

His 21 year career saw play for six different clubs in three countries, making 588 apperances and scoring 312 goals, on top of that his 91 caps and 34 goals for his beloved Argentina and appeared in four World Cups.

Love or hate him, he was a player whose ability and impact to the game we love should be respected, thank you for memories Diego…..

Maradona lifting the World Cup at Mexico City 1986
Playing against Manchester United in March 1984 in European Cup Winner’s Cup
Playing for Napoli in one of the change kits from 1990/91

There has hundred’s of tributes to Diego Maradona, what are you favourite memories??

Kit Log – World Cup, Mexico 1986

The Greatest ever kit (?) and hooped shorts….

In 1986 24 teams headed to Mexico, who stepped in to host the tournament when Colombia where no longer able to host the 13th World Cup and the first nation to host the tournament for a second time. As in 1970 the heat was a factor into the style of shirts worn by the nations taking part with lighter fabrics and even the return of some Airtex Shirts, yes Argentina I am talking about you…

A format change from the previous tournament and one that is the basis of the tournament that we see today, six groups of four teams with top two from each group qualifying and the four best third placed teams also qualifying for second round, for those that can not remember that far back (lucky you), think Euro 2016 and you will have an idea of the format.

Mexico86_1

One thing to call out straight away is Scotland’s shorts, as far as I can remember the only hooped shorts to grace the international arena and for me probably my favourite shorts ever, in fact this whole Scotland kit from Umbro is a thing of beauty.

The second highlight…. Denmark, a pair of kits that always gets a mention in the “Greatest Kit” debates, but more on that to come….

Mexico86_2

Other kits that deserve honourable mentions, France followed up their classic 1984 kit which we seen rebooted several times over the years with an under-rated pair of kits, another unique pair of Algeria kits, however this time with a Red Away kit.  Iraq with a Sky Blue / Yellow kit collections, I believe these kits where chosen as lucky colours rather than being linked to history.

The eventual winners Argentina also had two classic kits, each taking their place in history with two of the greatest goals seen in World Cup History in Quarter Final against England (Away Kit) and the Semi Final against Belgium (Home Kit).

Denmark – Who wore four different variations of their classic kit, maybe one of the reasons it became so famous was its inter-changeability (if that is a word????)

Denmark_86

England – The Quarter Final against Argentina is my first memory of watching a World Cup game, the 9 year old me was in awe of the whole spectacle, the memory of the giant spider shadow on the centre circle, Gary Lineker’s goal and that cross by John Barnes that seemed destined to be put away for Lineker’s 7th goal of the tournament but no… 6 goals for my hero and an exit from the tournament but this kit left a mark on me, for those who follow me on Twitter will know my love of England in Sky Blue and this my friends is the reason why….

England_86

Oh and I did not mention the Hand of God once….. oops!