Why England is Wearing Their Blue Kit in the Women’s World Cup Final
England is set to face off against Spain today in the final of the 2023 Women’s World Cup. As the reigning European champions, England is looking to secure their first-ever World Cup title and become the first English team since 1966 to win a senior final on the world stage. However, fans may be surprised to see England not donning their customary white kit for today’s final. So why are they wearing their blue kit instead?
The reason behind England’s choice of kit lies in FIFA’s decision to avoid a clash between the two teams’ shorts. Both England and Spain have navy shorts, and FIFA deemed them too similar, leading to the need for a change. Spain, designated as Team A for the final, had the first choice and opted to wear their home kit, which consists of a red shirt and navy shorts. As Team B, England will be wearing their away kit, featuring a light blue shirt and light blue shorts with white socks.
Interestingly, if this final had taken place last summer, England would have been able to wear their home kit. However, the white shorts were changed after players raised concerns about the practicality of wearing them while on their period. This change highlights the importance of considering players’ needs and ensuring their comfort on the field.
Looking back at previous finals, it’s not uncommon for England teams to wear their away kits. In the men’s World Cup final in 1966, England famously wore red shirts instead of their traditional white ones. This decision was a result of losing a coin toss, allowing West Germany to wear their white home shirts. The images of Geoff Hurst scoring a hat-trick and Bobby Moore lifting the trophy in red shirts have become iconic in English football history.
In the men’s European Championship final in 2021, England returned to Wembley and wore a full white kit. However, luck was not on their side as they were defeated by Italy in a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw. A year later, when the women’s team reached the same stage, they once again wore an all-white kit. This time, the outcome was different as Chloe Kelly’s winning goal in extra time secured their first major international honor.
For fans interested in purchasing the blue kit worn by the Lionesses in the Women’s World Cup final, it is still available on both the Nike and England official stores. However, due to the significance of the match and the opportunity for England to make history, sizes may be limited or selling out quickly. On the other hand, supporters are still unable to buy the goalkeeper kit worn by Mary Earps, the Manchester United number one, during the tournament.
As England takes on Spain in the Women’s World Cup final, their choice to wear the blue kit adds an interesting twist to the match. Whether it brings them luck and helps them secure their first-ever World Cup title remains to be seen. But one thing is for sure, England will be giving it their all on the field, regardless of the color of their kit.