The US men’s national team made a statement on Friday.
Not by their performance, their tactical adjustment, or effort.
But with their jersey.
For the first time in decades, players are actually liking what they wear on the pitch during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
In their opening game against Paraguay, Team USA wore their “Stripes” home kit, a bold red and white design inspired by the American flag.
They will wear the same jersey again in their second group stage game against Australia on June 19 before switching to their blue “Stars” kit for their final group game against Turkey in Los Angeles on June 23.
The goalkeepers wore bright yellow kits against Paraguay, but will switch to blue against Australia in Seattle. They will also wear bright yellow against Turkey.
For American players, the jerseys represent much more than a marketing presentation. They are the result of a three-year collaboration between Nike and the current generation of players who are determined to avoid what happened at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Those jerseys were an all-white home shirt and an ice-blue away design that was met with widespread criticism. The fans hate them. The players didn’t like them even more.
“Wrong athletes,” USMNT midfielder Tyler Adams famously quipped when discussing Nike’s consulting process with athletes.
Thankfully, criticism of those kits launched the creation of the current World Cup kit for the first time on home soil since 1994. Beginning in 2023, Nike designers traveled the country gathering feedback from US supporters before sitting down with players like Adams, Weston McKennie, Matt Turner, and Ricardo Pepi.
Nike asked them all a simple question:
What should America’s world cup jersey look and feel like?
The answers are all aligned: heritage, swagger, identity and unmistakable American symbols.
The result was a modern interpretation of two pieces of US soccer history.
The “Stripes” home kit borrows inspiration from the iconic “Waldo” jerseys of the early 2010s while also nodding to the 1994 World Cup. Its red and white horizontal bands feature a subtle wave effect, designed to mimic Old Glory blowing in the wind.
The Away “Stars” kit completes the patriotic pairing. A deep navy base is covered in silver stars woven into the fabric, creating a sophisticated look that feels understated. Nike designers said the metallic accents were inspired by the jewelry and personal style worn by players off the court.
“It’s pretty straightforward,” Adams said. “[We have] having stars and stripes of some kind in our kit, right? So we decided to go blue with silver stars, which I think represents us well. I think that will be the classic jersey of all time.”
Nike was on board.
“We wanted to make sure we were getting something undeniably American,” said Nike CEO Jordy Romick.
Mission accomplished.
The players were delighted to see the jerseys they helped design on the pitch in their match against Paraguay.
They are excited to see fans filling the streets, stadiums, and viewing parties across the country over the next six weeks.
But there is another thing that players want from these jerseys.
“The moments a player makes in the jersey are what make the kit iconic,” said USMNT forward Folarin Balogun.
Some of those moments were created on Friday. Many more will follow. The memories are as follows.
