FIFA world cup 2026: Inside the sport-style takeover

From luxury brands to local streetwear, influencers and celebrities alike are endorsing football fashion

---

PHOTO: BBC

---

Fashion has always been borrowed from football but 2026 marks a shift in control. As the FIFA World Cup approaches, the event is no longer just inspiring seasonal trends; it is shaping the direction of fashion itself.

From luxury houses to streetwear labels and global sportswear giants, football has become the reference point through which style is now being designed, styled, and consumed.

The modern jersey sits at the centre of this shift. Once limited to stadiums and supporter culture, it now moves easily between style, influencer feeds, and fashion collaborations.

Nike's upcoming World Cup 2026 direction, covering teams such as Brazil, France, and Nigeria reflects this evolution. Kits are engineered with innovations like Aero-fit cooling systems, yet designed with equal attention on how they appear beyond the pitch.

PHOTO: Nike's sports

Luxury fashion has followed closely behind. Loewe has become wardrobe partner for the Spanish national team, merging craftsmenship with sports identity, while Boggi Milano now serve's as FIFA's formal wear partner, bringing tailoring into football's institutional image.

PHOTO: Euronews

Design collaborations have further accelerated this crossover. The partnership between Jacquemus and Nike for the French national team reframes football footwear and apparel through a runway lens - minimal and emotionally driven.

PHOTO: V Magazine

At the same time, football style has become more accessible than ever.

Gap has introduced FIFA World Cup collections, while retailers like Urban Outfitters translate football references into everyday staples, such as caps, oversized tees, and casual layers.

Streetwear continues to expand on this movement. Kith, in collaboration with Adidas has turned football into collectible fashion pieces, often tied to icons like Lionel Messi.

At the same time, Brazilian forward Vinícius Júnior embodies this shift as one of the defining faces of Nike Football, where kits are designed as identity systems meant for global circulation.

PHOTO: About Nike

Outside the stadium, football aesthetics are increasingly shaped by artists and digital creators.

Singer Olivia Rodrigo has recently appeared within football-links through engagement with FC Barcelona, reflecting how club identity now circulates through youth culture and celebrity styling.

PHOTO: Elle

One of the clearest expressions of this global shift is the Mundial Collection by Clot in collaboration with Adidas Orginals, which blends Asian streetwear with global football heritage.

Similarly, designer Priya Ahluwalia, through her Puma collaboration, draws on Indian-Nigerian background to interpret football silhouettes through cultural storytelling.

New York City's mayor Zohran Mamdani was also pictured wearing a FIFA cup jersey while praying, while announcing that he is launching an affordable NYC-inspired World Cup Jerseys.

Taken together, these shifts point to a larger reality: football fashion is no longer a seasonal trend. It is a global system shaped by athletes, designers, brands, and digital culture simultaneously.