FIFA World Cup
Adidas’ new kit for 2022 sees purple introduced for the first time, with light grey accents used across the board. The new no-wordmark Adidas logo is seen on these kits for the first time at the World Cup, despite the old logo still being used in Adidas-manufactured domestic leagues.
As in 2018, FIFA debuts a new campaign just prior to the tournament, this one called “Football Unites the World”. White patches bearing the slogan are worn on the left sleeve, while generic Qatar 2022 white patches are worn opposite, on the right side. A second Qatar 2022 logo is found on the right chest pocket, this one in a single-colour design.
Though not depicted in the illustration above, officials’ surnames are printed on the back of the jersey just underneath the collar, emulating the practice that has been in place in Italy’s Serie A for several years.
The Adidas 18 line introduces an understated design, with black returning as the base colour. Although coloured socks are released with the kits, World Cup officials continue to don black exclusively, even in games when teams wear them too – creating a stark contrast with UEFA, who go to great lengths to avoid sock ‘clashes’ between players and officials.
FIFA debuts their “Living Football” campaign to mark the occasion of the tournament, with green badges on the left sleeve, while the competition logo features white text on all five kits – rendering it nearly illegible on the yellow shirt.
World Cup referees have five colour options available to them for the first time, with green added to the rotation. The Adidas 14 template creates a distinctive new look in navy blue and red, with the World Cup logo featuring on the right chest pocket.
There are no customized World Cup logo or text on the 2010 kits, which feature a very bold design and bright colours (particularly the red and blue) in comparison to the 2006 designs. The Fair Play patch is modernized once again.
A fourth colour option is introduced for 2006, with blue being seen in a World Cup for the first time. Dark grey is used as the base colour instead of the traditional black, the polo collar disappears, while there is an updated FIFA Fair Play patch on the sleeve.
The pinstripes disappear from four years prior, but apart from that, there are only minimal changes to Adidas’ kits in 2002.
The experimental designs of USA ’94 are retired in favour of a simplified pinstripe set in more traditional colours for 1998. The first iteration of the FIFA Fair Play patch is also affixed to the left sleeve.
In what can only be considered a landmark moment in terms of referee kit design, Adidas and FIFA go all out with the 1994 set.
Tradition is thrown out the window, with no all-black kit in sight. Three colour options are available for the first time, with magenta, gold, and white all featuring a black gradient checkerboard pattern. The Adidas wordmark is used by itself for the first and only time, and matching shorts are available to coordinate with each colour jersey as well.
The 1990 kits feature the first sample size of a kit that can be considered a piece of design in addition to being a form of functionality. Adidas adds a three-stripe flourish across the chest pockets, and an Italia 90 wordmark is also included on the right sleeve.
A red alternative kit is available once again, albeit this time, unlike 1978, without matching red shorts and socks. The sleeve cuffs are now white on both kits, the collar is now a button-up, and the pocket flaps take on a more pointed appearance.
The new version of the FIFA referee badge is seen at a World Cup for the first time.
Referees receive a ‘uniform’ set of kits for the first time at a World Cup. Black is the de-facto first choice, while red is used in games involving navy blue-clad Scotland.
The first iteration of the red outfit was a shocking head-to-toe affair, particularly interesting given that Scotland donned their usual red socks and their opponents, the Netherlands, had orange shorts and socks themselves. Subsequent red appearances were toned down to the change of shirt only.