Adidas to "Level Up" Curaçao for 2026 World Cup After Historic Qualification? Country to Get Another Brand?
- Adidas Partnership: Adidas became Curaçao's kit maker just before their historic World Cup qualification, but the current deal involves basic teamwear shirts through a third-party retailer.
- Bespoke Kit Potential: There's a possibility Adidas could provide Curaçao with custom-designed kits for the 2026 World Cup, aligning with their usual strategy and reflecting the island's vibrant culture.
- Uncertainty for 2026: It's not guaranteed that Curaçao will wear Adidas kits in the 2026 World Cup, as the current deal may only cover qualifying matches, opening the door for another brand.
Adidas has replaced Kelme as the kit maker for Curaçao just one week before the island nation secured their historic qualification for the 2026 World Cup. However, the nature of the deal and the resulting kits have raised questions about what the team will actually wear on football's biggest stage.
Curacao x Adidas Partnership to See Bespoke Kits for 2026 World Cup?
Curaçao currently has basic teamwear shirts.
The Adidas x Curaçao kit partnership was announced in collaboration with Dutch sports retailer Voetbalshop rather than a direct Tier 1 contract with Adidas HQ. Consequently, the newly released home and away shirts are based on standard Adidas teamwear. Voetbalshop has labeled these the "2025" or "25/26" kits, and they utilize the most basic Adidas templates. While they serve the purpose for the immediate qualifying matches, they lack the custom graphics, specific trims, and cultural storytelling usually reserved for national teams at a major tournament.
This contrasts sharply with Adidas’s usual strategy for the World Cup. For the 2026 tournament, the Three Stripes "treat every nation the same." They supply all their federations with bespoke designs and high-end performance technology, Climacool+. It would be unprecedented in the modern era for an Adidas-sponsored team to play at the World Cup wearing catalog teamwear that can be bought off the rack for amateur Sunday league sides.
The potential for a bespoke Curaçao kit is massive, as the island's vibrant culture would translate perfectly to the bold design language Adidas has been using recently. Community designers on FIFA Kit Creator have already demonstrated the possibilities, creating concepts that far outshine the current standard offering.
It will be fascinating to see if the success of the "Blue Wave" forces Adidas to elevate the partnership from a third-party retailer deal to a full, bespoke manufacturing agreement in time for 2026.
Curaçao Could Have Another Brand at the 2026 World Cup
However, it is not even certain that Curaçao will play with Adidas kits in the 2026 World Cup. The current deal, as we understand things, was only signed for the qualifying matches. So, another brand could come in.
Check out classic Curacao kits on Football Kit Archive
Do you think Adidas will provide Curaçao with a bespoke kit collection for the 2026 World Cup, or will they stick to teamwear? Do you think another brand will secure the Curaçao deal? Let us know in the comments below.
