When it comes to football, there’s nothing more iconic than a home kit. Classic, instantly recognisable, in just one glance, everyone knows Spain’s red jerseys from Brazil’s yellow and Argentina’s blue and white stripes. But it’s the away kits where all the fun is had, where teams can push creative boundaries, celebrate their cultural heritage and really make their mark on the pitch – and on fashion.

On Friday, adidas unveiled the official away kits for all partner federations, including the 13 nations that have qualified for the FIFA World Cup 2026. The big headline is that, for the first time since 1990, the classic trefoil logo is back on the shirts. But that’s not the only retro nod of the collection, which also takes inspiration from the 1994 World Cup – the last time the tournament was hosted by the US – as well as the Y2K aesthetic of the 2006 World Cup in Germany, where adidas was born. “Our whole vibe for this season is how we merge these beautiful eras, taking the codes from then and reinterpreting them for now,” says Annie Barrett, vice president of marketing for adidas Originals. 

Each kit also tells the story of its country’s culture, history and landscapes, weaving in inspirations from the worlds of art, music, architecture, nature, traditions and superstitions. Below we unpack the easter eggs and hidden references in seven away kits.

BELGIUM

Belgium looked to the surrealist movement, and particularly artist René Magritte, for its jersey this year, which features layered lines and shapes in a pale blue, pink and white design. Known for his witty paintings, which often depict familiar, ordinary objects in unexpected situations, Magritte’s work blended comedy, mystery and horror to challenge perceptions of reality and representation. 

One of the painter’s most well-known artworks, The Treachery of Images, features an image of a pipe with the words “This is not a pipe” underneath. In a nod to this, the Belgian jersey also includes a subtle detail on the neck which reads ‘Ceci n’est pas un maillot’: ‘This is not a jersey.” One can only hope this is just the beginning of athletes wearing paradoxical surrealist phrases on their shirts.

ARGENTINA

Argentina, as described by Sam Handy, general manager of adidas Football, is the boldest of all the away kits this year. Featuring swirling floral patterns in contrasting light and dark blues, it was inspired by the country’s rich artistic heritage, in particular the “calligraphy that you see throughout Argentina,” he says. “That classic way of doing sign writing that you’ll see on the streets of Buenos Aires.” 

The calligraphy is a folk art style called Fileteado Porteño, which originated at the end of the 19th century and was first used to paint horse carts, then trucks and today, most commonly, buses. The style is dramatic in both its form, which is curled and ornate, as well as in its messages, which are often sentimental and passionate. The tango of fonts!

JAPAN

Last week, Japan’s women’s team beat Australia to win their third Women’s Asian Cup title in front of a record crowd (74,397 fans) in Sydney. The previous day, the men’s away kit was revealed and, unlike most of the other countries, it’s in direct dialogue with Japan’s home shirt. 

While the home kit features light blue curved lines symbolising the horizon – and the team’s ambition to reach new heights – the away kit draws inspiration from the “colours beyond the horizon”. Against an off-white background, the design includes 12 vertical lines running down the shirt in 12 distinct colours. Each line represents the 11 players on the pitch, while the bold red line that runs down the centre takes its colour from the sun of the national flag and represents the fans – the heart of the team. With its striped pattern, the shirt also strongly resembles a traditional jersey design for baseball, Japan’s most popular sport.

SWEDEN

Taking visual cues from the aesthetics and music of the 1960s and 70s, Sweden’s kit features three shades of blue coming together to form a bold rippled pattern that looks like a mix between a guitar fretboard and sound waves. “ABBA was our starting point, although it’s not an official collaboration,” Handy laughs, “but something we were quite excited by when we started.” 

The 1970s were a prolific time for Swedish music. While ABBA dominated the global pop scene and achieved international success, at home, the experimental left-wing Progg movement spanned jazz, rock, traditional folk music and psychedelia, and was tied together by socially conscious lyrics and DIY ethics. Sweden is still waiting to see if it will qualify for the World Cup, with two matches left to play this month. 

GERMANY

The Germany kit this year marks the end of an era – the last collaboration with adidas, which has been the country’s partner since 1954, before they move to Nike next year. Celebrating the long partnership between the national team and the brand, the kit pays homage to and brings together different eras from throughout the previous 72 years.  

The deep blue base is inspired by the classic blue quarter zips worn in 1954, as well as the classic blue and white training tops of the 60s, 70s and 80s, while aqua-blue accents reference the bold coloured training kits of the 90s. Adding to the retro feel is a zigzag pattern of diagonal strips which references adidas shoebox designs, while on the hem of the jersey, an inscription reads a subtle sign-off:“Since 1954”.

CHILE

One of the best away kits sadly won’t be featured in the World Cup, since Chile didn’t qualify for this tournament. Regardless, there will no doubt be plenty of people rocking this jersey, which pays tribute to the flowering desert of Chile’s unique natural landscape. “It’s inspired by the Atacama Desert, where the flowers come out as the spring weather gets a bit damper,” explains Handy. “So there’s this blooming of the flowers across the desert.”   

The Desierto Florido is a rare phenomenon which occurs every five to seven years, when over 200 plants bloom in the world’s driest, most barren desert (50 times drier than Death Valley) during rainfall typically in September and October (the country’s spring). Suddenly, white, pink, purple and yellow flowers emerge from the cracks to create a surreal oasis that’s a kaleidoscopic riot of colour.

JAMAICA

Like Sweden, Jamaican fans are still waiting to see if their team will make it to the World Cup, with two qualifier matches still left to play this month. In the meantime, we can enjoy the country’s away kit, which pushes the design and graphics right to the edge of what is permitted in the tournament. It is, as Handy describes it, the “maddest” of the bunch. 

Both the home and away kits were designed in collaboration with the Bob Marley Foundation – Marley’s daughter was involved in the full process – and pay tribute to Jamaica’s music, identity and pride. While the yellow home jersey channels 70s styling with nods to the crocheted garments Marley famously wore, the black away shirt fully centres and celebrates the county’s music culture from past and present. Graphic circles and zigzags reference vinyl records, cassette reels and sound waves, while a patch on the hem is stamped with Marley’s silhouette and his iconic line: “Football is freedom”.