England will face Spain today in the final of the 2023 Women’s World Cup.
England, the reigning European champions, are looking to win the tournament for the first time, as well as become the first English team since 1966 to win a senior final on the world stage.
But England will not be playing in their usual white kit for today’s final.
Here’s why.
Follow live coverage of Spain vs England in the Women’s World Cup final today
Why are England wearing their blue kit today?
With Spain wearing red, you can expect to see England wearing their traditional white kit for the final. However, FIFA decided that the shorts from the kits – both navy – were the same and wanted to avoid a clash.
Spain is designated as Team A for the final, so they have the choice. Unsurprisingly, they chose their home kit which means that England, as Team B, will wear their away kit of a light blue shirt and light blue shorts with white socks.
Had it been last summer, England could have worn their home kit but the white shorts were changed after players raised concerns over the practicality of wearing them while on their periods.
What have England teams worn in previous finals?
In England’s one and only senior World Cup final in 1966, the men’s team also wore their away kit, albeit playing at Wembley.
The England men’s team wore red in the famous 1966 final (Photo: Getty Images)
The famous images of Geoff Hurst scoring a hat-trick and Bobby Moore lifting the trophy in a red shirt rather than a white one as they lost a coin toss before the match allowing West Germany to play ob in their white shirts at home.
In the men’s European Championship final in 2021, England returned to Wembley and, this time, wore a white kit. But it did not bring much luck as they were defeated by penalties in Italy after a 1-1 draw.
A year later, when the women’s team reached the same stage, it was an all-white event once again. Fortunately for the home fans at Wembley, the outcome was different as Chloe Kelly’s winner in extra-time earned Sarina Wiegman’s side their first major international honour.
Can I still buy the blue kit?
Yes, the blue kit is still available in official Nike and England stores. However, with the opportunity for the Lionesses to make history in the blue kit, sizes are starting to sell out.
Meanwhile, as Mary Earps highlighted before the tournament, England supporters are still unable to buy the goalkeeper kit worn by Manchester United’s number one at the tournament.
(Image: Getty Images)
