Could 2026 be the most fashionable World Cup of all time? Of course, there are some strong contenders to the throne, historically speaking. Twenty years ago, in 2006, the England team were bested by Portugal in the quarter-final penalties, but the real story was happening in Baden-Baden, when Victoria, Cheryl, Colleen, et al descended on the sleepy German spa town wearing denim cut-offs, designer shades and western Europe’s supply of Birkins. The 1970s also marked a style shift for football, when the widespread adoption of colour television meant that kits entered their psychedelic stage, with brands like adidas and Nike pushing their designs further than ever before.

Though all that may be the case, we can’t deny 2026 has seen the most purposeful crossover of football and fashion. Numerous fashion brands wanted a piece of the footy pie, with labels like Willy Chavarria, Jacquemus, Corteiz, and Palace releasing World Cup-focused capsule collections. Loewe creative directors Jack McCullough and Lazaro Hernandez also teamed up with the Spanish national team for their official travel outfits, Balenciaga imagined it had its own team with some soccer-inspired tracksuits, while even baddie brand I.AM.GIA released its own line of patriotic booty shorts.

The focus on style also spilt into the streets, too. When we caught up with fans before England’s (doomed) semi-final against Argentina, the revellers on Peckham’s Rye Lane definitely got the fashion memo. England shirts from every era populated the streets, as did DIY bucket hats, baggy cargo shorts, and low-slung jeans. With the pain of defeat still yet to come, last night’s fans also seemed to be taking style inspo from those Baden-Baden WAGs, with 00s wraparound shades and England baby tees proving particularly popular across the multiple pubs we visited on the street. So, England might be out, and it might all be over, but at least we know who really won in the style stakes.

For all those looks and more, scroll through the gallery at the top of the page