On the soccer field, athletes sporting official gear from the likes of Nike and Adidas might be the norm. But on the sidelines, it’s bootleg merch by independent designers that is dressing stylish fans during the World Cup.
Designing an official kit for the World Cup comes with many rules and regulations that outline just how creative a design can be. For instance, official jerseys cannot be sleeveless, branding and logos have size and placement limitations, and the only uniform that can stray from the official team colors is that of the goalie.
But none of that matters to some diehard soccer fans. Take Mexico fans, for example. While their official Adidas team kit—featuring green, white, and black versions with Aztec designs—has received generally positive feedback, many are supporting local designers who reimagined what a soccer jersey can look like without the restrictions that come with being an official partner of FIFA, the tournament organizer.
In celebration of Mexico’s cohosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the Guadalajara-area-based sportswear company Atlética released three sports jerseys. The first two closely resemble traditional designs, drawing inspirations from Mexican folklore. The maroon jersey features a snake print inspired by Quetzalcoatl—a feathered serpent Mesoamerican deity—while the green version has motifs in honor of tonalli, an Aztec symbol of the soul.
But the most popular of the bunch stands out for its bold choice of color: bright pink. At its center, the jersey features an image of the Virgin of Guadalupe, a national faith symbol in Mexico.
And many more brands have followed. Mexico Is The Shit—a fashion brand founded in 2016 as a response to Donald Trump’s anti-Mexican rhetoric—has released its own retro-inspired Mexico jersey. Algoritmo Studios launched a satin-like long sleeve jersey that Joe Jonas wore while visiting Mexico City earlier this summer. And some are taking it beyond the jersey—the Mexican fashion brands Fábrica de Punto and Orden reimagined the jerseys as sweaters and jackets.
The trend of bringing soccer to street style (and even high street) is not entirely new in Mexico. The Guadalajara-born designer Antonio Zaragoza’s Liberal Youth Ministry teamed up with a local team, Chivas, collaborating on a line featuring reimagined versions of the team kit and bringing the collection to a Paris Fashion Week catwalk.
But while Mexico appears to have a booming industry of high-end bootleg sportswear for fans, the country is far from the only one bringing couture creativity to the tournament.
The Brazilian designer Renata Brenha upcycles soccer jerseys to create pleated tops, jackets, and trousers. And others, like the New York-based handmade clothing brand Coco Cultr, have even proposed a new style for fans—dresses made of jerseys. For those looking for something a little more risqué, the U.K. brand Dilemma has gained popularity for its lingerie-style corsets sewn into jerseys.
