U.S. Soccer players helped design their own 2026 World Cup jerseys

Nike and U.S. Soccer just revealed the official team jerseys for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and they’re the perfect blend of something old and something new.

The U.S. men’s national team (USMNT) kits include two distinct home and away jersey designs that take visual inspiration from the American flag. The home “stripes kit” features classic rippling red and white waves; the away “stars kit” highlights subtle shining stars on a dark navy backdrop.

The designs will be worn across all 27 U.S. Soccer national teams (including men’s and women’s, youth, and senior teams) in the lead-up to the 2026 World Cup, which will conclude with a final match on home soil at New York’s MetLife Stadium. 

Nike has served as the official apparel partner of U.S. Soccer since 1995, and the two entities signed another 10-year deal back in 2021. But this year marked a turning point in the 31-year collaboration. After athletes and fans reacted negatively to the team’s jerseys in 2022, USMNT players were much more involved in the latest design process. Their aesthetic sensibilities shine through with uniforms that balance an homage to World Cup history with a modern, undeniably cool edge.

Starting from square one

The design process for the 2026 team kits started all the way back in fall 2023. It was just about a year after several USMNT players held up a team photo shoot because they were so displeased with that year’s kits, which included one plain white jersey and one blue tie-dye jersey.

In an interview with The Athletic this March, midfielder Tyler Adams explained that the delay stemmed from the fact that the team “didn’t feel that [the kits] represented us.” The shake-up nudged Nike and U.S. Soccer to rethink the design process from beginning to end.

In past years, players’ feedback was taken into consideration, but it was typically collected through a predesign interview phase, meaning players took more of a back seat during active brainstorming and prototyping. This time around, players were consulted throughout the process, from the very earliest meetings to the final draft stage. Adams told The Athletic that by the end, he felt like the team “had more say than Nike had.”

“This was the first time players got direct, in-person face time with the designers over multiple touchpoints,” says ​​Maribeth Towers, VP of consumer products at U.S. Soccer. “This was sparked by the players expressing an interest in being able to share their input into the design of the kits early in the process. Nike and U.S. Soccer came together to bring the players along the journey to ensure the kits authentically represent the identity of the team.”

One jersey for the stadium, one jersey for the club

During the brainstorming phase, Towers says, players expressed a “diverse array of preferences”—with a few key notes in common. 

First, they wanted a jersey design that was recognizable enough to easily identify fans in the stands as a source of motivation. Second, they wanted a trendier jersey that could be worn both on and off the field (some players, according to The Athletic, specifically requested a jersey that could be worn “to the club”).

To hit that first criteria, the design team took its cues from a 2012 jersey known as the “Waldo.” Multiple players cited this classic red-and-white-striped version as their favorite World Cup look of all time, and it’s long reigned as a beloved design among fans, too. 

The jersey stood out in the stands and on the field for its retro Americana look, but also for its striking similarity to the titular character in the book series Where’s Waldo? (hence its enduring nickname). This year’s home “stripes kit” gives the Waldo a modern facelift, adding color gradients and waves to the red lines that suggest the natural movement of the flag.

“When we began our conversations with athletes regarding their preferences for representation and emotional experience, one significant insight emerged: They are highly motivated by fan engagement within the stadium,” says Yazmin Rosete, a senior designer for Nike’s global football apparel.

Compared to the “stripes kit,” the away “stars kit” has a more modern, edgy look that does, indeed, seem like something an off-duty player might wear straight to the bar. It’s rendered in a dark navy blue that verges on black, with accents of reflective stars that are visible only from close range. Towers told The Athletic that initial prototypes of this piece were actually too bright, and players requested that they be toned down, resulting in a more subtle final look.

In sum, she tells Fast Company, the two jerseys “complement each other because they’re so different.” They’re a clever mash-up of fan service and player swag that, hopefully, will offer something for everyone.

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