The best pre match jerseys at the 2026 FIFA World Cup The game before the game

At an event such as the FIFA World Cup, the anticipation of the match becomes part of the match itself. Not that football takes a back seat—quite the opposite. It is the driving force behind the traffic, the crowded city streets, and the filling of venues with tens of thousands of seats. Yet the World Cup is, in itself, a socio-cultural event. It demands entertainment even before the entertainment begins, creating a horizon of expectations that goes beyond the ninety minutes on the pitch and requires meticulous work outside the boundaries of the game.

As with the Milano Cortina Olympic Games, for example, the scale of the event required three opening ceremonies in three different cities ahead of their respective opening matches, each featuring artists strategically selected for the occasion. Every musical performance requires choreography, every choreography an aesthetic, every aesthetic a theme, and so on. Spectators want to feel overstimulated, almost overwhelmed by a flood of colours, sounds and sensations. For this reason, clothing choices are never trivial and never limited to a single garment. Official kits already come in home, away and third versions, followed by training apparel, travelwear outfits, and finally pre match jerseys.

These are the first pieces to catch the eye when teams step onto the pitch for warm-ups. First impressions depend on them, and that precise image is what every spectator in the stadium—or watching from home—will remember. This is why brands invest increasing amounts of effort, creativity and time into designing pre match jerseys, garments tasked with reflecting national colours while standing apart from those of their opponents.

Canada - Nike

As one of the host nations, expectations were particularly high—and they were not disappointed. Nike set the tone months in advance with the early release of Canada's World Cup kits and its collaboration with NOCTA. The aesthetic developed through that partnership finds its clearest expression in the pre match jersey, arguably the most coherent design of the collection, both in its colour palette—a red template on a black background—and in its graphic execution.

As in the NOCTA collection, the maple leaf, Canada's defining symbol, is used as a central element radiating across the fabric through concentric lines. Beginning at the shoulders and extending seamlessly across the torso, the pattern almost resembles a web. Combined with the colour scheme, the design recalls Spider-Man's suit—perhaps not entirely by accident.

Germany - adidas

A nostalgic pre match jersey. In many ways, this is adidas' final major contribution to the German national team before the federation's agreement with Nike takes effect in 2027, bringing to a close a historic partnership that dates back to the 1980s. The design revives the geometric patterns that defined Germany's relationship with adidas, featuring a diamond template in the black, red and gold of the national flag, a double logo on the chest and the word Deutschland on the left sleeve. The reference is unmistakable: the iconic home shirt worn at the 1994 World Cup in the United States, revived for Germany's return to American soil—adidas' own Last Dance.

Tunisia - Kappa

Although Tunisia's World Cup campaign ended early after a heavy 4-0 defeat to Japan, the North African side may well have won the tournament when it comes to style. From the outset, Kappa's pre match look stood out for its clean and minimalist approach, mirroring the simplicity of the official Kombat Pro kits.

The same motif was expanded and made far more prominent on the pre match jersey, featuring a dense white plumage with broad red tips outlined in black and silver. It may not match the understated elegance of the match kits, but it certainly delivers a striking visual impact.

Egypt - PUMA

Warm tones dominate Egypt's home pre match jersey. Raglan sleeves are the only visible reminder of the black base layer, which recedes behind the red and orange panels covering both the front and back of the shirt. The graphic pattern references Egypt's territory and heritage, particularly the pyramids of Giza and Saqqara. PUMA and federation logos appear on the chest, while the stars representing Egypt's Africa Cup of Nations titles were removed at FIFA's request.

Senegal - PUMA

As with Egypt, PUMA opted for raglan sleeves on Senegal's warm-up jersey. Beyond that detail, the shirt is covered in abstract brush-stroke graphics inspired by the colours of the national flag. For the World Cup, PUMA worked with American designer Salehe Bembury on a travelwear capsule collection representing all eleven federations sponsored by the brand, including Senegal. That shared design language can also be seen in the warm-up jerseys, where recurring graphic patterns and bold colour blocking create a unified visual identity across multiple national teams.

France - Nike

France opted for a cleaner, more minimalist design developed in collaboration with Jacquemus. Delicate red and white vertical pinstripes embellish the vibrant royal blue base, fully embracing the aesthetic language of the luxury label. The Swoosh appears on the right side of the chest, while the left side is considerably busier, showcasing the French federation crest featuring the iconic rooster and the FFF lettering. Just below sits a tricolour patch bearing the signature of Simon Porte Jacquemus at its base.

The designer, founder of the eponymous brand, has maintained a long-standing relationship with Nike and is also a passionate football supporter. Over the past year, he has even become a sponsor of French amateur club AS Charleval, the local team from the village where he spent much of his childhood with his grandparents and where he later celebrated his wedding.

Mexico - adidas

The keyword for Mexico is tradition. adidas paid particular attention to highlighting the historical roots of one of the host nations, as evidenced by its collaboration with designer Willy Chavarria, which resulted in the launch of "Comienza Con El Sueño", a collection unveiled at Mexico City Stadium during the opening match between Mexico and South Africa. Calling it merely a campaign would be reductive—it is more of an ode to the street and to streetwear culture, one that focuses on the dimension of dreaming, a phase that precedes the World Cup itself and draws its energy from everyday experiences, popular culture and social interaction.

The home pre match jersey pays tribute to this heritage, featuring the national team's signature green base overlaid with a pattern built around interwoven M and X letters rendered in typography inspired by Aztec aesthetics. The entire graphic celebrates the textile craftsmanship of Mexico's rural communities, the country's beating heart, which finally finds representation on the world stage—even if, perhaps, it was the segment least prepared for the arrival of the World Cup.

Ecuador - Marathon Sports

The partnership between Ecuador and Marathon Sports, a brand founded in Quito, is the longest-running collaboration in South American football, having begun in 1994 after the national team's agreement with Reebok came to an end. Despite the longevity of this relationship, however, the creative spark has never faded. If anything, it remains as strong as ever. The warm-up jersey worn against Curaçao at Kansas City Stadium is engulfed by red and yellow flames, made even more vibrant by the dark blue base that enhances both the brand name and the federation crest stitched onto the chest.

A simple yet visually powerful design, perfectly aligned with Marathon Sports' identity. The brand even found itself at odds with FIFA regulations during the 2024 Copa América. Marathon had opted for a home jersey featuring a predominantly yellow front panel crossed by a dark blue diagonal sash, while the back of the shirt was entirely dark blue. FIFA regulations require the dominant colour on the front and back panels to be the same, forcing Marathon to adapt by printing a simple yellow box on the back of the jersey to contain the player's number.

Netherlands - Nike

This may well be the most flamboyant pre match jersey of the World Cup—and that is by no means meant as criticism. If the ultimate goal was originality, the collaboration between Nike and Amsterdam's iconic streetwear label Patta has produced something truly one of a kind in the Dutch home warm-up jersey.

The national team's trademark orange is already striking enough on its own, but this particular shade—leaning more towards gold—is amplified by the black background on which an all-over pattern intertwines KNVB lions, chains and tulips, blending traditional Dutch symbolism with Patta's unmistakable hip-hop-inspired aesthetic. It is an eccentric and fearless jersey whose greatest strength lies in how impossible it is to forget—or overlook.

Cape Verde - Capelli Sport

The partnership between Capelli Sport and Cape Verde is a very recent one. The American brand replaced Tempo Sport—the Austrian company that had supplied the Cape Verde Football Federation since 2022—just ahead of the World Cup, producing the kits for the African nation's historic debut on football's biggest stage. A debut that saw Cape Verde earn a legendary point against Spain before securing another valuable draw against Uruguay.

For the occasion, Capelli Sport opted for an equally fresh pre match jersey built around an ocean-inspired aesthetic. Printed across the white base is a slightly blurred blue graphic forming the silhouette of a shark with its jaws wide open, a symbol closely associated with the Atlantic archipelago, home to some of the largest breeding colonies of the predator in the world. The motif is repeated throughout the garment, its continuity interrupted only by touches of red: on the national team crest stitched on the right side of the chest, on the Capelli Sport signature placed on the left, and on the red square blocks at shoulder level, one of the brand's distinctive design signatures.