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USMNT Kits: Players Rebelled, Then Designed Success
16 Mar
Summary
- Players revolted against 2022 kits, leading to a new design process.
- USMNT players were involved in three stages of 2026 kit design.
- New 2026 kits include a 'stripes' and 'stars' design, chosen by players.
In June 2022, the U.S. Men's National Team players expressed dissatisfaction with their World Cup kits during a photoshoot in Austin, Texas. This initial resistance, described as a "mini-rebellion," involved influential players delaying the event, signaling their discontent with designs that they felt "didn't represent us." This incident prompted a significant overhaul of the kit design process between U.S. Soccer and Nike.
The revised strategy involved players in three distinct stages of development for the 2026 World Cup kits. This direct player involvement ensured that designs like the "stripes" and "stars" kits, released by Nike on a Monday, genuinely reflected the team's preferences and identity. Players, including Tyler Adams, Christian Pulisic, and Weston McKennie, actively contributed to selecting elements for both the overt "stripes" kit and the more subtle "stars" kit.
Previously, player input was indirect and filtered through U.S. Soccer staffers. However, the 2022 incident catalyzed a more collaborative approach. By November 2023, players were interviewed about their preferences, and in 2024, fabric samples and design iterations were presented for their feedback. This intensive process, the most extensive in U.S. Soccer history, culminated in kits that players deemed "perfectly represent[ing] us."
