Listen carefully, very carefully, and you’ll hear the opening chords of “Come On, Eileen” echoing in the distance. We’re less than a month away from the FIFA World Cup, so it’s high time you rallied the group chat and booked a table in your local beer garden. This year, the tournament is being held across the US, Mexico and Canada, with the first game taking place on June 11 between Mexico and South Africa. 

England are due to play their first match a few days later on June 17, taking on Croatia at the Dallas Stadium in Texas. To mark the occasion, people across the country will no doubt rummage through their wardrobes, digging out any red and white they can find, painting flags on their faces and tying them around their necks like capes. 

That being said, over the past few years, football merch has had a major makeover. England fans no longer have to rely solely on St George’s flag to show their support; now, they can turn to a number of designers, both established and emerging. During 2024’s Euros, we proclaimed that “football is so hot right now, and so are its garishly-hued, massively flammable team jerseys.” In the two years since, football’s fashionable merch options have only increased – and the timing couldn't be better. 

The 2026 World Cup also comes at a time when wearing the St George’s or Union flags feels more controversial than ever before. The rise of far-right politics up and down the country has meant that we’ve been seeing a lot more of these flags recently, and for all the worst reasons. For decades, far-right groups have co-opted the red and white cross, turning it into a symbol associated with racism and anti-immigration. Last September, over 100,000 protesters draped themselves in the Union Jack (which also has a long history as a symbol used by far-right parties). They attended Tommy Robinson’s rally in London, the largest event of its kind in British history. 

Naturally, this means that some football fans might feel uncomfortable about proudly donning the British and English flags during this year’s World Cup. Luckily, there is a wealth of options to choose from that prove you can straddle both football and fashion, without having to rely on a flag of any kind to show your support. For example… 

PATTERN UP’S ENGLAND KIT 

Late last year, political street art collective Pattern Up reimagined the classic England kit. Teaming up with Irish political artist and writer Adam Doyle (AKA SpiceBag), journalist Jake Hanrahan and Pakistani artist Alina Akbar, the collective launched an England x Palestine football jersey, with profits going towards humanitarian aid in Gaza. “By melding the England kit with Palestinian design elements and Arabic writing, we created a kit that challenges the traditional image of exclusively white lads in white shirts and made something that many outside the traditional paradigm of Englishness can take pride in,” they said. The jerseys are on sale now (here), raising money for the Dignity for Palestinians campaign. 

TEAM ENGLAND’S DEBUT DENIM COLLECTION 

Levi’s is clearly excited for the World Cup: last week it dropped its first-ever England collection, in collaboration with the FA. The brand will also be partnering with Mexico, the US and France on collections dedicated to their teams, but England gets five unique pieces, all featuring the Three Lions crest. See here. 

THE AVAVAV HOT PANTS 

There’s a lot you could choose from when it comes to AVAVAV – the Swedish brand led by designer Beate Karlsson, known for its playful, ironic takes on sport. “There’s something funny about trying to make sports more ‘fashion’, especially because our team is not very athletic,” she confessed in an interview from last year. Thankfully, adidas Originals were on hand to advise. See more here. 

THE ONLY FOOTBALL BOOTS YOU NEED

…are the Wales Bonner x adidas Predators. They were recently worn on the pitch by Arsenal player Miles Lewis Skelly, and feature a snake-print upper. What more do I need to say? See here. 

A WILLY CHAVARRIA FOOTBALL 

Back in January, Willy Chavarria showed his latest AW26 collection during the menswear shows in Paris, teasing a brand new adidas Originals collection at the same time. Some models rode BMXs down the runway, while others carried footballs under their arms. If you’re looking for a kick-about of your own, footballs don't get much more high fashion than this. 

SUPREME X THE FOOTBALL GAL JERSEY 

Late last year, Supreme teamed up with Diana Al Shammari – AKA, The Football Gal, the Iraqi refugee known for embroidering sports merch. She’s already worked with adidas and dressed football players such as Pau Cubarsí and Alessia Russo, but her collection of Supreme jerseys might be her best work yet (and they sold out in just two minutes). Let’s hope she’s got another trick up her sleeve ahead of the World Cup. 

SWAP THREE LIONS FOR THREE PUMAS

London-based menswear designer Priya Ahluwalia dropped her second collection in collaboration with PUMA earlier this year, celebrating football’s impact on communities across the world. Photographed in Morocco, the accompanying campaign is a “love letter to the game. Worn everywhere.” See more here.