England, Germany and Other European Teams Will Not Wear OneLove Captain Armbands at 2022 World Cup
Nov 21, 2022, by Pat
England, Germany and various other European football federations today announced that they will in the end not wear the '#OneLove' captain armbands during the 2022 World Cup after FIFA had warned them about sporting sanctions.
"FIFA has made it very clear that it will impose sporting sanctions if our captains wear the armbands on the pitch," the federations of Germany, England, Wales, Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands and Switzerland announced Monday. "As national federations, we cannot put our players in a situation where they face sporting sanctions, including sending-offs. That's why we have asked the captains not to wear the armbands at FIFA World Cup matches. "We are very frustrated by FIFA's decision, which we believe is unprecedented, the statement reads.
"We were prepared to pay fines that would normally be imposed for equipment violations and strongly advocated for the wearing of the armband. However, we cannot put our players in a situation where they could be cautioned or even forced to leave the pitch," the statement added.
England will make their 2022 World Cup debut against Iran today at 2PM CET.
FIFA's decision can be justified by their equipment rules that state that captains have to wear armbands provided by FIFA. However, it's highly unusual to see sporting sanctions for violations of this kind. In the end, the threat was enough for England, Germany and Co. to back down.
Let's hear your thoughts in the comments below.
Real Madrid 26-27 New Shirt Number Owners
Real Madrid have officially confirmed their squad numbers for the 2026-27 season. Thanks to @jersey_story for the design visuals.
Raúl Asencio steps into the No. 2 shirt previously worn by Dani Carvajal, while new signing Dean Huijsen takes over No. 4 from David Alaba. Endrick also returns to the No. 9 after his loan spell at Marseille.
Among the new arrivals, Ibrahima Konaté will wear No. 16, Marc Cucurella No. 17, Carlos Espí No. 19, Denzel Dumfries No. 24 and Yan Diomande No. 25. Meanwhile, Bernardo Silva will continue wearing No. 20 following Fran García's departure. The number is closely associated with the Portuguese midfielder's most successful years at Manchester City.
Which new number catches your eye the most? Let us know your answer in the comments below.
Paris Saint-Germain Debut 26-27 Kits Featuring Two Stars
PSG debuted a two-star version of their 26-27 kits during recent friendly matches, commemorating their pair of UEFA Champions League titles. This special detail will be used exclusively in international competitions.
Despite Ligue 1 placing no restriction on star crests, PSG announced they will not feature the stars on their domestic league kits. Special thanks to @jerseystory_vn for the spot and graphic.
No More Nike: Adidas Croatia 2026 Training Kits Revealed
Following their switch from Nike to Adidas, Croatia's new training kit set for 2026 have been unveiled in the latest training camp for youth teams' goalkeepers.
However from what we've seen, both of the new jerseys are simply from Adidas Tiro 26 League template range, using default black and grey color choices. These are very likely just temporary options for the mean time, until the actual designs with probably bespoke colorways are officially released.
What do you think of the new Adidas Croatia 2026 training kits? Let us know in the comments below.
FC Barcelona 26-27 Third Kit Font Leaked
Following the leak of FC Barcelona's 26-27 third kit, kit expert @memorabilia1899 has provided a first look at the custom typeface that will feature on the back of the jersey. The bespoke font design continues Nike's trend of pairing unique typography with its high-profile club kit releases for the season.
The typography features a sharp, geometric design with clean blocky angles for the player numbers, rendered in dark navy blue and bordered by a bright red outline. The player name is printed in arched, bold sans-serif lettering using the same color scheme, perfectly matching the teal body and red trim of the shirt.
This custom typeface will be worn on Barcelona's 26-27 third kit during cup fixtures and selected league games where customized fonts are permitted. The contrasting red outline gives the player names and numbers clear visibility against the light teal graphic backdrop.
Pink Real Madrid 26-27 Third Kit Leaked in New Promo Image
A new promo-style image of the Real Madrid 26-27 third kit has emerged online ahead of its official release scheduled for August 12, 2026. Crafted by Adidas, the new alternative jersey marks the return of a pink main color for Los Blancos for the first time since the 2020-21 season. Thanks to @KamilBerberler.
The standout element of the shirt is an intricate tonal geometric pattern covering both the front and back. Inspired by Latin American art, the graphic features interlocking circular and diamond shapes created with fine dotted lines. Complementing the vibrant pink base, Adidas adds ivory details across the V-neck collar, sleeve cuffs, and the Three Stripes on the shoulders. The club crest, Adidas logo, and Emirates front sponsor are all rendered in clean white.
On the back, the geometric pattern continues seamlessly alongside a stylized retro "RMCF" sign-off positioned just below the collar. Matching pink shorts with ivory accents and pink socks complete the full uniform, making it only the third pink outfield kit in Real Madrid's history.
Elche 26-27 Away Kit Released
Spanish club Elche CF and Nike have officially launched the new Elche 26-27 away kit. Following the earlier releases of their home and third shirts, this launch completes the team's kit lineup for the 2026-27 season.
The Nike Elche CF 26-27 away jersey features a eye-catching purple colorway covered in a dynamic halftone dot pattern that flows in subtle wave lines across the front and sleeves. Metallic gold accents are used for the club crest and lower hem details, while the Nike Swoosh stands out in clean white on the right chest.
Matching purple shorts and socks complete the full strip. The new Elche 26-27 away kit is available through the official club store and online channels.
Mizuno 'Serene Spark' 26-27 New Season Boots Pack Released
Mizuno has officially revealed its latest football boot collection for the 26-27 season, dubbed the Serene Spark pack. Built around the theme of quiet passion driving performance, the pack blends cool light blue uppers with vibrant orange-red accents across the branding, heel area, and soleplate details.
The Serene Spark lineup covers Mizuno's top-tier speed and touch models, led by the Mizuno Alpha III and the Morelia Neo V Beta. A small-sided edition, the Morelia Neo Sala Beta Japan, is also included in the collection. Each silhouette shares a light blue base tone paired with striking gradient Runbird logos that give the pack its distinctive look.
The Mizuno Serene Spark collection will officially launch on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, available through Mizuno Japan and selected football retailers worldwide.
Marcus Rashford to Wear Number 14 Shirt at Manchester United
Marcus Rashford is set to wear a new squad number upon his return to Manchester United for the 26-27 season. With Matheus Cunha currently occupying the club's number 10 jersey, the forward has been assigned the vacant number 14 shirt.
This marks the fourth squad number Rashford has worn during his senior career at Old Trafford. After making his first-team debut wearing number 39, he subsequently switched to number 19 before taking over the number 10 shirt, which he wore during his most prolific seasons.
The number 14 jersey carries a recognizable history at Manchester United, having previously been worn by players such as close friend Jesse Lingard, Javier Hernández, and Christian Eriksen.
