U.S. Soccer unveils new kits for the World Cup
The U.S. will wear two new Nike uniforms, a stars kit and a stripes kit. They will be the new jerseys for all 27 U.S. national teams.
With 86 days remaining until the FIFA World Cup returns to North American soil, U.S. Soccer officially unveiled the new kits that the men’s national team will sport for the tournament on Monday.
The U.S. will wear two new Nike uniforms, a stars kit and a stripes kit. The stripes kit features a red-and-white waving stripe pattern with navy blue accents and shorts.
The stars kit is a navy shirt with an all-over, navy-on-navy star pattern. It also features a monochrome version of the USMNT badge, as opposed to the red, white, and blue version seen on the stripes kit.
The kits will not only be the new threads of the USMNT as it co-hosts the World Cup for the first time since 1994. They will be the new jerseys for all 27 U.S. national teams.
The USMNT will debut the kits when it takes on Belgium and Portugal in a set of friendlies in Atlanta on March 28 and March 30.
“A national team jersey represents the pride of wearing the crest, not just for players on the field, but also for the fans who support them every step of the way,” Dave Wright, chief commercial officer of U.S. Soccer, said in a news release. “With the 2026 FIFA men’s World Cup coming to the United States, we’re excited to see players across all 27 of our national teams and supporters across the country wearing this kit as we build toward an incredible moment for the game.”
» READ MORE: Security funding for the 2026 World Cup is in jeopardy while Congress debates ICE enforcement
Some have pointed out that the new stripes kit bears a striking resemblance to the kit worn by the U.S. from 2012 to 2014, affectionately known by fans as the “Waldo” kit for its red-and-white horizontal stripes.
The new stripes kit was spotted before U.S. Soccer unveiled it on Monday. Both kit designs were initially leaked on social media in January, and the stripes kit was seen on top of a beer display at a grocery store earlier this month, all but confirming what the USMNT’s new look would be for the World Cup.
Both the stars kit and the stripes kit feature Nike’s Aero-FIT technology, a cooling fabric the brand designed ahead of this summer’s World Cup . Nike incorporated feedback from USMNT players into the final design, taking notes on seam placement, fit, and breathability, among other aspects.
“Our job is to translate or interpret insights into inspiration,” Ronnie J. Stewart, global product director for Nike, said in U.S. Soccer’s release. “We do that in a variety of ways, but we start with the athletes. We tap heavy in the culture. And then we talk to the federations to ask them what they want to accomplish. It’s a huge undertaking that we don’t take lightly.”
U.S. Soccer said in its release that the retail launch for the kit will be “the most widely available” kit release in its history.
Approximately 2,500 retail locations will carry the new jerseys in store, including Rally House and Dick’s Sporting Goods locations. The new kits will also be available for purchase online through soccer.com and the official U.S. Soccer online store.