FIFA Equipment Regulations - Three Infamous Kit Cases
Dec 11, 2017, by Chris
Some days ago, we took a detailed look at FIFA's 104-page Equipment Regulations guide which defines what manufactures are allowed and not allowed with their jersey designs for the 2018 World Cup. Now we want to take a look at some of the most famous examples of FIFA banning kits / forces teams to release new kits.
2002-2004: Puma's 'Revolutionary' Sleeveless & Puma's One-Piece Are Banned
More than a decade ago, Puma successfully maximized attention provoking FIFA by releasing 'revolutionary' shirts that breach with the designs of traditional football jerseys. Puma partnered Cameroon National Team arrived at the Africa Cup of Nations without sleeves and won the 2002 Africa Cup. FIFA banned these shirts after the tournament.
In 2004, the "Indomitable Lions" followed up with their equally controversial one-piece PUMA UniQT, which removed unnecessary bulk and limited shirt-grabs by opponents. FIFA punishes the team by revoking six points in the qualification for the 2006 World Cup and imposes a fine. PUMA launches a public campaign in support of Cameroon and sues FIFA against the prohibition of the jersey. The legal dispute ends with a compromise and a shared donation to a football development project in Cameroon.
Puma's 'experiments' led FIFA to introduce restrictive kit rules
However, all this lead FIFA to make their kit rules more strict than they had been before. In example, to avoid such situations moving forward, FIFA now requires manufacturers to submit all designs one year in advance.
Principle of Light & Dark Shirts - Spain 2014 World Cup Home & Away Kits Not Different Enough
In the 2014 World Cup, FIFA was not happy with the colors of Spain's 2014 World home and away kits because they would be too similar (Principle of light and dark shirts). FIFA therefore forced Adidas to release a special one-off all-white third kit that was not sold to public.
Adidas, Spain's equipment supplier, said back then that "FIFA has expressly mandated" it to supply Spain with white jerseys for the defending champions' opener against the Dutch on June 13. The shorts and socks of the new Spain 2014 World Cup Third Kit are white with red accents.
However, what might be even more interesting and quite insane is that Spain faced Netherlands just four years earlier, in the 2014 World Cup final, wearing their navy away kit against Netherlands' orange home kit. In fact, Cameroon also wore an unknown white kit in a friendly a few days ahead of the 2014 World Cup. The shirt was not used in the 2014 World Cup, however.
Sleeves Must Be Identical in Color - France Euro 2016 Away Kit
18 months ago in the Euro 2016 in France, Nike had to produce a special all-white kit for France featuring almost all-white sleeves instead of the blue and red sleeves because UEFA was not happy.
Do you know other examples when teams were required to change their kit / release a new kit because of Kit Regulations? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
No More Hummel: CD Tenerife Announces Macron Kit Deal
Spanish club CD Tenerife has officially announced a new kit supplier deal with Italian brand Macron, effective from the 26-27 season. The agreement coincides with the club's return to the Segunda División (LaLiga Hypermotion) and will see Macron provide technical apparel for both the first team and the youth academy squads.
The arrival of Macron marks the end of a 13-year partnership with Hummel, which was one of the longest-running technical supplier deals in Spanish football. According to the announcement, Macron will deliver custom collections that celebrate Tenerife's heritage, identity, and local community, featuring bespoke details designed specifically for the blanquiazules.
Following the announcement, anticipation is already building among the fanbase for the reveal of the new kits. While no official release date has been confirmed yet, supporters are eagerly waiting to see the fresh designs the Italian brand has prepared for the 26-27 campaign.
All "Gold" Adidas Final World Cup Match Ball
Adidas has showcased the new Trionda Final, the official match ball for the semi-finals and final of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The brand revealed the ball in a special photoshoot dubbed a family reunion, displaying the new edition alongside iconic past World Cup match balls such as the Jabulani, Etrusco, and Telstar.
The Adidas 2026 World Cup Trionda Final match ball features a color palette of white, black, gold, and red. A distinctive element of the design is the inclusion of the 2026 host cities, which are printed in a distressed font across the panels. The Trionda Final is now available to purchase through Adidas following its official launch.
Hartlepool United 26-27 Home Kit Released
The new Hartlepool United 26-27 home kit has been officially released by the club today, designed by Meyba under the theme 'A new era. A new dawn.'
The blue and white shirt features the return of Workwear Express as the main front-of-shirt sponsor, officially replacing Prestige Group.
Manchester City 26-27 Away Kit Leaked
Based on our leaked information, Vietnamese kit expert @jerseystory_vn has created a mockup image of the upcoming Manchester City 26-27 away kit, modeled by Erling Haaland.
The new kit features a worker bee pattern, which is a deep cultural symbol in Manchester's history, famously representing the city's rich industrial heritage and the hard-working spirit of its citizens.
What do you think of the Manchester City 26-27 away kit? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
FC Zürich 26-27 Home & Away Kits Released
Swiss club FC Zürich has officially launched its new Castore home and away kits for the 26-27 season.
The Castore FC Zürich 26-27 home and away shirts have bespoke designs. The home option comes with a pretty horrible (in our opinion) stripes design. Meanwhile, he away kit stands out by incorporating a subtle topographical map of Zurich into its design.
The Downfall of the FIFA World Cup Winners Badge
Recent iterations of the World Cup winners patch have a noticeable decline in quality, as highlighted by our follower @AmosMurphy_. What was once a premium, beautifully textured addition to a national team shirt has now been reduced to a standard, flat heat-pressed decal.
The shift towards cheaper materials on major international kits stands in stark contrast to other areas of the football shirt market, where we see embossed details and multilayer 3D crest more often.
2026 MLS All-Star Kit Released
Major League Soccer and Adidas have officially unveiled the 2026 MLS All-Star jersey. The new kit will be worn during the 30th MLS All-Star Game when the league's top players face off against the best of Liga MX on July 29 in Charlotte.
The 2026 MLS All-Star kit features a striking 1990s inspired design highlighted by blue and green accents, serving as a direct nod to the original MLS logo and brand colors from the league's inception. It is the first All-Star jersey to feature the classic Adidas Trefoil logo, adding a strong retro aesthetic to the modern kit.
Mallorca 26-27 Away Kit Released
RCD Mallorca has officially launched its new 26-27 away kit. Produced by Nike, the secondary strip for the upcoming Spanish La Liga season was revealed to fans on July 8.
The Nike RCD Mallorca 26-27 away shirt introduces a sleek design, being predominantly black. It features a striking horizontal stripe across the chest and is highlighted by gold accents on the logos and detailing, offering a clean and modern look.
The new Nike RCD Mallorca 26-27 away kit is available to purchase online immediately. Fans can also find it in official club stores starting July 9.
CSD Municipal 26-27 Home, Away & Third Kits Released
Guatemalan champions CSD Municipal have unveiled their kit set for 26-27 Liga Nacional season, all made by English brand Umbro.
All three kits features outstanding bespoke designs: A vibrant red base with black collar and gold crests for the home kit, a dark shirt with deep blue houndstooth pattern for the away kit, and a striking turquoise look with amazing brushstroke-like graphic for the third kit.
What do you think of CSD Municipal kit? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.
Salford City FC 26-27 Away Kit Released
Salford City FC have released their new away kit for 2026-27 season, made by Adidas and will be worn in their EFL League Two campaign next season.
This is their first-ever kit to feature the brand new club crest introduced earlier this month. The white design features black accents and orange trims - representing the club's traditional colors, and completed with white shorts and socks that use identical details. It is also notable that with AIG as their sponsor, the shirt does carry the same vibe as Manchester United in the late 2000s
What do you think of Salford City FC 26-27 away kit? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.
Manchester United 26-27 Away Kit Based on Salford City Kit