It’s finally FIFA World Cup season, and no World Cup is complete without a jersey to wear for stadium games, fan zones and watch parties. Jerseys, often called kits, are a hallmark of soccer culture, and one of the best parts of the tournament is putting on your country’s colors to show your pride and support. To help you get outfitted for this year’s World Cup, I spoke to Mathew Davis, owner and founder of vintage soccer jersey store Saturdays Football, to find out everything you need to know about fabric, fit and more before match day.
Related
Want more from NBC Select? Sign up for our newsletter, The Selection, and shop smarter.
The best FIFA World Cup 2026 jerseys
Below, I’ve rounded up the FIFA World Cup jerseys of participating nations across the globe from sponsoring brands like Nike, Adidas and Puma.
Nike FIFA World Cup 2026 jerseys
The Brazilian team, known as Seleçao around the world, has one of the most prestigious World Cup legacies in FIFA history, with five total wins under their belts — more than any other country. On my trip to Rio de Janeiro, I saw Brazil’s last national jerseys everywhere, and this 2026 edition has a bright design that includes the iconic canary yellow coloring, along with layered green accents on the collar, cuffs and sides.
This year’s U.S. men’s team jerseys are a modern riff on the classic stars and stripes, and have a curvy red and white pattern that resembles a waving flag. The back panel is white for max number and name visibility, and the jersey includes a deep blue collar to tie together the famous American red, white and blue combo.
Davis loves the crisp, simplistic design of France’s jerseys, calling them “the most elegant shirt of the tournament.” A subtle “F” is zig-zagged across the shirt in alternating blue tones, with bronze logos on either side of the chest and a white collar to round out the kit’s clean, preppy look.
More Nike FIFA World Cup 2026 jerseys and gear
Adidas FIFA World Cup 2026 jerseys
This jersey celebrates the legacy of soccer in Argentina. Aside from the fan-favorite light blue and white stripes, the jersey also includes three gold stars above the crest, a tribute to the country’s three World Cup victories. The stripes also have a subtle gradient of three different blues to represent the jerseys worn during those tournaments, according to the brand.
Mexico’s kit includes a bold, green Aztec design that pays homage to the jersey worn by the team during the 1998 tournament in France. The design also includes an imprint of Piedra del Sol, a famous Aztec sculpture.
Colombia’s home jersey may look like a plain yellow on first glance, but Davis says, in actuality, it “tells the best story on the rack.” The fabric is woven with a butterfly design that acts as a tribute to Colombian writer Gabriel García Márquez, who used butterflies to symbolize hope within his work. “That’s a kit doing real cultural work, quietly,” says Davis.
More Adidas FIFA World Cup 2026 jerseys and gear
- Algeria
- Argentina
- Belgium
- Colombia
- Curaçao
- Germany
- Japan
- Mexico
- Qatar
- Saudi Arabia
- Scotland
- South Africa
- Spain
- Sweden
Puma FIFA World Cup 2026 jerseys
The wavy patterns on Portugal’s iconic red kit are representative of the country’s coastal, maritime culture, and are paired with green accents around the color and cuffs. The shirt’s design is to symbolize the team channeling energy from their oceanside roots, and to help the team “make waves” at the World Cup (pun intended).
Senegal is one of my favorite teams in the tournament, and this jersey is inspired by the streets of Dakar, according to the brand. The front of the jersey includes green, yellow and red patterns that are meant to resemble the car rapide, which are the hand-painted minibuses that can be found on roads throughout Senegal.
The Elephants’ jerseys this year showcase the bright orange of the flag, along with green and white accents under the arms and on the logos to round out the trio. The jersey also has an orange, animal print design to add even more flare to an already bold kit.
More Puma FIFA World Cup 2026 jerseys and gear
More FIFA World Cup 2026 jerseys to shop
How to shop for FIFA World Cup 2026 jerseys
Shopping for jerseys can be tricky; aside from choosing a design, you also have to decide between authentic and replica jerseys. Below, Davis shares what to look out for when shopping for a FIFA World Cup 2026 jersey.
What’s the difference between an authentic and replica jersey?
- An authentic jersey (sometimes called an on-field, match or player issue jersey) is the same shirt worn by the players on the pitch, says Davis. The cuts for authentic jerseys are usually slim-fit, with the jerseys themselves being made from the lightest, most breathable performance fabric produced by a given brand (for example, Nike Aero-Fit, Adidas Heat.rdy or Climacool). They’re also usually finished with heat-pressed or woven crests and logos along with laser-cut ventilation for added airiness, says Davis.
- Replica jerseys are the officially licensed, everyday editions of the authentic kits. They have a looser fit, which Davis says makes sizing more forgiving, along with badges that’ve been stitched or embroidered onto the shirt. Replica jerseys are also made from heavier fabric with less emphasis on performance, and are usually 40 to 50 percent lower in price.
How can you tell authentic and replica jerseys apart?
To tell authentic and replica jerseys apart, Davis recommends starting with your hands, rather than your eyes, and paying attention to the feel, the badges and design features for differences between the two.
- The texture of authentic jerseys have a thinner, almost technical feel, while the replica feels more like a comfortable t-shirt, says Davis.
- The logo crests and brand insignias on authentic jerseys also tend to be woven or bonded flat into the fabric, whereas replica badges are usually embroidered with raised stitches, he says.
- On authentic jerseys, you should also look for laser-cut vents and a slimmer, more tapered fit.
- Lastly, make sure you read inside the neck tag because it’ll tell you which version of the jersey you’re holding. “If a listing won’t tell you whether it’s authentic or replica, that’s a flag worth noticing,” says Davis.
What is each type of jersey best for?
The authentic jersey is the best pick for those who want the same feel of the shirts worn by players on the pitch. The replica, on the other hand, is best as an everyday shirt since it’s less expensive and designed to last after day to day wear and tear. For most people, Davis recommends a replica. “Neither is the ‘lesser’ choice,” he says. “They’re built for different lives.”
Frequently asked questions
No, a replica is not a fake jersey. Replica jerseys are fully licensed by both the issuing brand and the team’s national federation, says Davis. While a fake is an unlicensed counterfeit, a replica is just a different, but still official, version of a team’s shirt.
The best places to buy FIFA World Cup 2026 jerseys include official retailers like the FIFA store, Nike, Adidas, Puma or another sponsoring brand, along with verifiable, third-party sellers.
Every team playing in the FIFA World Cup 2026 has at least two jerseys: one for home and one for away. Some teams also carry an alternate third kit that helps to solve color clashes between teams with similar designs and coloring, says Davis (altogether, that means there are over 100 jersey designs at this World Cup alone). Third shirts are also often more creative and experimental because of that necessary distinction in design, making them great for bolder everyday wear after the games have finished.
Goalkeepers also have their own unique kits that are made in contrast to the rest of the team’s jerseys (but these aren’t usually counted among the regular jersey count).
The FIFA World Cup 2026 takes place from June 11 to July 19, 2026. The tournament lasts for 34 days and includes 104 total matches played, according to FIFA.
The FIFA World Cup 2026 will be jointly held across 16 host cities in Canada, Mexico and the United States. The cities include:
- Canada: Toronto and Vancouver
- Mexico: Guadalajara, Mexico City and Monterrey
- United States: Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia, San Francisco/Bay Area and Seattle.
You can find a full list of locations and match venues here.
There will be 48 national teams competing in the FIFA World Cup 2026, including the three host nations. Each team is a part of one of FIFA’s six continental federations. The full list of competitors are as follows:
- Hosts: Canada, Mexico, USA
- Asian Football Confederation (AFC): Australia, Iraq, IR Iran, Japan, Jordan, Korea Republic, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan
- Confederation of African Football (CAF): Algeria, Cabo Verde, Congo DR, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia
- Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF): Curaçao, Haiti, Panama
- Confederacion Sudamericana de Futbol (CONMEBOL): Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Uruguay
- Oceania Football Confederation (OFC): New Zealand
- Union of European Football Associations (UEFA): Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Czechia, England, France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Scotland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye
You can purchase tickets to FIFA World Cup 2026 matches on the official FIFA ticketing website. You can also explore resale markets for secondhand tickets, however, there’s no guarantee of legitimacy, making it safer to stick to official ticketing routes.
The FIFA World Cup 2026 match schedule is the calendar of all games that will be played during the tournament. You can find the latest schedule and match updates on FIFA’s website.
American audiences can stream all matches live on Fox Sports, with two matches (the tournament opener and the US vs. Paraguay match) also being simulcast on Tubi, the free streaming platform. Peacock Premium and Premium Plus subscribers can also watch all games in Spanish. You can also watch the games with a live TV or cable subscription via the Fox channel.
Meet our soccer jersey experts
At NBC Select, we work with experts who have specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also take steps to ensure all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and without undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.
- Mathew Davis is the owner and founder of vintage soccer jersey store Saturdays Football.
Why trust NBC Select?
I’m an associate SEO reporter with over two years of experience covering travel accessories and apparel, and an avid soccer fan who’s been collecting and admiring kits for years. To write this story, I spoke to a jersey expert about everything you need to know about the FIFA World Cup 2026 jerseys before the tournament begins.
Catch up on NBC Select’s in-depth coverage of tech and tools, wellness and more, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok to stay up to date.
