18 World Cup Kits May Not Be Used in Group Stage - Report

As many as 18 national team shirts for the 2026 FIFA World Cup might not be used during the group stage. This is according to a BBC Sport report released on Wednesday. FIFA has finalized kit selections for the tournament's 72 opening matches.

The 48 teams taking part have revealed a total of 108 outfield kits. But only 87 of these will definitely be worn at least once in the group phase.

The leftover shirts, mostly away and third kits, may only be seen if their teams make it to the knockout rounds. Each country has submitted their home and away shirts, while 12 nations have also brought out a third kit.

FIFA’s choices on avoiding colour clashes and match schedules mean many of these shirts will stay in the locker room for the first three games.

Not Selected for Group Stage

Home shirts sidelined:
Ghana
Uzbekistan

Away shirts not scheduled to be worn:
Australia
Austria
Belgium
Curacao
DR Congo
Iran
Ivory Coast
Japan
Netherlands
Portugal
Senegal
South Africa

Third shirts not scheduled:
Ecuador
Haiti
Iraq
Jordan

On the other hand, four teams will display all three of their kits during the group stage. These teams are Canada, Cape Verde, Mexico, and Panama. England and Scotland will rotate between their two available shirts.

Scotland has also prepared three different goalkeeper kits. They will use a new one for each match against Haiti, Morocco, and Brazil.

Among the 12 away kits that might not see action, six were noted by BBC Sport as some of the best designs of the tournament. These include Austria, Belgium, Curacao, Japan, Ivory Coast, and South Africa. According to BBC Sport readers, Curacao’s away shirt is the most popular among those not likely to be worn in the group stage. Japan’s away kit also scored high, coming second among the unused designs.

Curacao, who will be making their World Cup debut this summer, may have to wait for a chance to show off their striking alternative strip on the pitch until the knockout rounds.

FIFA’s kit selections are meant to avoid colour clashes while keeping a consistent look across matches. Teams that go further in the tournament could still have the chance to wear their unused shirts, giving fans hope that some of the best designs will eventually get a chance to shine.