2018 World Cup Uniforms

Posted 12 July 2018 by Willy
Categories: Design, Ephemera

In most team sports, two uniforms adequately differentiate the teams. But soccer includes a wrinkle: because goalkeepers can use their hands in the penalty box, they must be uniquely identifiable at a glance to remain protected from physical challenges when in possession of the ball. So each team’s goalkeeper wears their own unique uniform.

Taking into account all of the factors – jerseys, shorts, socks, home and away versions, referees, and accessibility concerns about visibility on TV screens around the world – you’ve got a real color management situation on your hands. Everyone involved (or watching) must effortlessly keep track of 5 unique uniforms at any given moment.

Image of match uniforms.

Nothing makes this clearer than the every-four-years spectacle of the World Cup, when the multitude of nations’ colors and imagery allow us to witness so many combinations in such a compressed timeframe.

How does this work out in the real-world context of international competition? We found no definitive source. There are photographs of all the jerseys, an entertaining conversation about jersey fashion, and even consequences for unapproved uniform variations, but nothing shows the uniforms performing their ultimate purpose.

So we took on the challenge: 32 teams; 64 matches; 128 uniform combinations. Below you will find all the uniforms worn during the 2018 World Cup. Thanks to Linda and Troy for help with the links and to Martin for discussing the finer points of uniform theory and the occasional rule clarification while watching the World Cup this summer.

15 July 2018

France 4–2 Croatia

Image of France 4–2 Croatia match uniforms.

14 July 2018

Belgium 2–0 England

Image of Belgium 2–0 England match uniforms.

11 July 2018

Croatia 2–1 England

Image of Croatia 2–1 England match uniforms.

10 July 2018

France 1–0 Belgium

Image of France 1–0 Belgium match uniforms.

7 July 2018

Russia 2–2 (3–4) Croatia

Image of Russia 2–2 (3–4) Croatia match uniforms.

7 July 2018

Sweden 0–2 England

Image of Sweden 0–2 England match uniforms.

6 July 2018

Brazil 1–2 Belgium

Image of Brazil 1–2 Belgium match uniforms.

6 July 2018

Uruguay 0–2 France

Image of Uruguay 0–2 France match uniforms.

3 July 2018

Colombia 1–1 (3–4) England

Image of Colombia 1–1 (3–4) England match uniforms.

3 July 2018

Sweden 1–0 Switzerland

Image of Sweden 1–0 Switzerland match uniforms.

2 July 2018

Belgium 3–2 Japan

Image of Belgium 3–2 Japan match uniforms.

2 July 2018

Brazil 2–0 Mexico

Image of Brazil 2–0 Mexico match uniforms.

1 July 2018

Croatia 1–1 (3–2) Denmark

Image of Croatia 1–1 (3–2) Denmark match uniforms.

1 July 2018

Spain 1–1 (3–4) Russia

Image of Spain 1–1 (3–4) Russia match uniforms.

30 June 2018

Uruguay 2–1 Portugal

Image of Uruguay 2–1 Portugal match uniforms.

30 June 2018

France 4–3 Argentina

Image of France 4–3 Argentina match uniforms.

28 June 2018

England 0–1 Belgium

Image of England 0–1 Belgium match uniforms.

28 June 2018

Panama 1–2 Tunisia

Image of Panama 1–2 Tunisia match uniforms.

28 June 2018

Senegal 0–1 Colombia

Image of Senegal 0–1 Colombia match uniforms.

28 June 2018

Japan 0–1 Poland

Image of Japan 0–1 Poland match uniforms.

27 June 2018

Switzerland 2–2 Costa Rica

Image of Switzerland 2–2 Costa Rica match uniforms.

27 June 2018

Serbia 0–2 Brazil

Image of Serbia 0–2 Brazil match uniforms.

27 June 2018

Mexico 0–3 Sweden

Image of Mexico 0–3 Sweden match uniforms.

27 June 2018

Korea 2–0 Germany

Image of Korea 2–0 Germany match uniforms.

26 June 2018

Iceland 1–2 Croatia

Image of Iceland 1–2 Croatia match uniforms.

26 June 2018

Nigeria 1–2 Argentina

Image of Nigeria 1–2 Argentina match uniforms.

26 June 2018

Denmark 0–0 France

Image of Denmark 0–0 France match uniforms.

26 June 2018

Australia 0–2 Peru

Image of Australia 0–2 Peru match uniforms.

25 June 2018

Iran 1–1 Portugal

Image of Iran 1–1 Portugal match uniforms.

25 June 2018

Spain 2–2 Morocco

Image of Spain 2–2 Morocco match uniforms.

25 June 2018

Saudi 2–1 Egypt

Image of Saudi 2–1 Egypt match uniforms.

25 June 2018

Uruguay 3–0 Russia

Image of Uruguay 3–0 Russia match uniforms.

24 June 2018

Poland 0–3 Colombia

Image of Poland 0–3 Colombia match uniforms.

24 June 2018

Japan 2–2 Senegal

Image of Japan 2–2 Senegal match uniforms.

24 June 2018

England 6–1 Panama

Image of England 6–1 Panama match uniforms.

23 June 2018

Germany 2–1 Sweden

Image of Germany 2–1 Sweden match uniforms.

23 June 2018

Korea 1–2 Mexico

Image of Korea 1–2 Mexico match uniforms.

23 June 2018

Belgium 5–2 Tunisia

Image of Belgium 5–2 Tunisia match uniforms.

22 June 2018

Serbia 1–2 Switzerland

Image of Serbia 1–2 Switzerland match uniforms.

22 June 2018

Nigeria 2–0 Iceland

Image of Nigeria 2–0 Iceland match uniforms.

22 June 2018

Brazil 2–0 Costa Rica

Image of Brazil 2–0 Costa Rica match uniforms.

21 June 2018

Argentina 0–3 Croatia

Image of Argentina 0–3 Croatia match uniforms.

21 June 2018

France 1–0 Peru

Image of France 1–0 Peru match uniforms.

21 June 2018

Denmark 1–1 Australia

Image of Denmark 1–1 Australia match uniforms.

20 June 2018

Iran 0–1 Spain

Image of Iran 0–1 Spain match uniforms.

20 June 2018

Uruguay 1–0 Saudi

Image of Uruguay 1–0 Saudi match uniforms.

20 June 2018

Portugal 1–0 Morocco

Image of Portugal 1–0 Morocco match uniforms.

19 June 2018

Russia 3–1 Egypt

Image of Russia 3–1 Egypt match uniforms.

19 June 2018

Poland 1–2 Senegal

Image of Poland 1–2 Senegal match uniforms.

19 June 2018

Colombia 1–2 Japan

Image of Colombia 1–2 Japan match uniforms.

18 June 2018

Tunisia 1–2 England

Image of Tunisia 1–2 England match uniforms.

18 June 2018

Belgium 3–0 Panama

Image of Belgium 3–0 Panama match uniforms.

18 June 2018

Sweden 1–0 Korea

Image of Sweden 1–0 Korea match uniforms.

17 June 2018

Brazil 1–1 Switzerland

Image of Brazil 1–1 Switzerland match uniforms.

17 June 2018

Germany 0–1 Mexico

Image of Germany 0–1 Mexico match uniforms.

17 June 2018

Costa Rica 0–1 Serbia

Image of Costa Rica 0–1 Serbia match uniforms.

16 June 2018

Croatia 2–0 Nigeria

Image of Croatia 2–0 Nigeria match uniforms.

16 June 2018

Peru 0–1 Denmark

Image of Peru 0–1 Denmark match uniforms.

16 June 2018

Argentina 1–1 Iceland

Image of Argentina 1–1 Iceland match uniforms.

16 June 2018

France 2–1 Australia

Image of France 2–1 Australia match uniforms.

15 June 2018

Portugal 3–3 Spain

Image of Portugal 3–3 Spain match uniforms.

15 June 2018

Morocco 0–1 Iran

Image of Morocco 0–1 Iran match uniforms.

15 June 2018

Egypt 0–1 Uruguay

Image of Egypt 0–1 Uruguay match uniforms.

14 June 2018

Russia 5–0 Saudi Arabia

Image of Russia 5–0 Saudi Arabia match uniforms.