FIFA Women's World Cup 2019 Index - Historical Football Kits

Group A

France

First

Second

Designer: Nike

Les Bleues have, over the last 20 years established themselves as a consistent, middle ranking European side. Their best performance in the World Cup was fourth place in 2011.

Their new kits are exclusive to the women's team. The first choice is minimal and in the traditional colours of the dark version of the tricolour flag. The change strip is decorated with tiny hexagons that supposedly represent the shape of the country.

Korea Republic

south kores 2019 women's world cup 2nd kit

First

south kores 2019 women's world cup 1st kit

Second

Designer: Nike

This is the third time South Korea have appeared in the finals. They qualified by finishing fifth in the 2018 AFC Women's Asian Cup having eliminated North Korea in the preliminary competition.

The team are wearing the same kits that the boys took to Russia last year.

Norway

First

Second

Designer: Nike

The Grasshoppen (Grasshoppers), as they are disarmingly known, are not the power they were in the early 1990s but remain a strong team. They won the Women's World Cup in 1995 when it was hosted by their neighbours, Sweden.

The graded first kit has been created for the World Cup finals but the alternative has been held over from last year.

Nigeria

First

Second

Designer: Nike

Nigeria are the best women's team in Africa by some distance, having won the African Championship eleven times. They are the current champions but so far they have had little success against non-African teams and are currently ranked 38th in the world.

The extremely popular first choice kit seen in Russia last year is given another outing while the dark green alternative is altered slightly and now has white applications.

Group B

Germany

First

Second

Designer: Adidas

Over the last twenty years Germany have emerged as one of the strongest women's sides in the world. They have won the World Cup twice (2003, 2007) and the UEFA European Championships eight times (out of twelve). They are second in the current FIFA ratings and their star player, Birgit Prinz holds the record for the most appearances for the national side, is Germany's all-time leading scorer and three-times FIFA World Player of the Year.

Adidas have come up with a striking graphic for the front of the white first shirt that evokes a fluttering flag while the change strip is deep red with the new Tiro 19 graphic printed into the fabric. This features on several of Adidas' new shirts this summer.

China PR

First

Second

Designer: Nike

The Steel Roses have won the AFC Women's Asian Cup eight times and were World Cup runners-up in 1999. They qualfied for the 2019 finals by finishing third in the 2018 Asian Cup.

First choice is a standard Nike template held over from last year. The choice of orange for the second kit is odd as it will clash with any team in red shorts and also with FIFA's high contrast rule. This should not, however, detract from the shirt which incorporates an elaborate phoenix design in the classic Chinese decorative style and is a thing of beauty.

Spain

First

Second

Designer: Adidas

Spain qualified for the finals for the first time in 2015 but finished last in their group with just one point. They are known as La Roja (The Red).

Their brand new first choice strip retains the sublimated diamond motif introduced last year but given a new twist. Adidas have provided the boys with some outstandingly original change strips in recent years so the set provided to the women's team, the basic new Tiro 19 design, is very disappointing.

South Africa

First

Second

Designer: Nike

This is the first time South Africa have appeared in the finals and they qualified by finishing second in the 2018 Women Africa Cup of Nations. Their record in this competition is modest and with a FIFA ranking of 49th, they are likely to find this summer tough going. They are known as Banyana Banyana (The Girls).

The first choice kit is in traditional yellow and green with a striped graphic on the sleeves and shoulders. The alternative is reversed and the graphic extends across the front of the shirt.

Group C

Australia

First

Second

Designer: Nike

Australia have qualified for every Women's World Cup finals except the first competition in 1991. They have reached the quarter-finals in the last three competitions and are currently ranked sixth in the world. They qualified for the 2019 finals by finishing as runners-up in the AFC Women's Asian Cup.

Nike have come up with a bold paint-brush effect design for the familiar gold and green strip while the second choice is retained from last year.

Italy

First

Second

Designer: Puma

This is the third time Italy have reached the final stages of the Women's World Cup and their first appearance since 1999. They are ranked 15th in the world and are wearing the strips introduced last year for both men's and women's teams.

Brazil

First

Second

Designer: Nike

Brazil are far and away the strongest women's side in South America, having won the Copa América Femenina seven out of the eight times it has been held (they are the current champions). They have made an impact on the global stage, participating in the final stage of every World Cup since the competition begain in 1991, finishing as runners-up in 2007. Three of their leading players, Cristiane, Rosana and Francielle have retired after a dispute over improving wages and achieving greater respect for female players and their achievements by the football authorities as well as the general public. However, their top star, Marta, considered the finest female player of all time, will be in the squad.

Their strips are in traditional colours with minor tweaks. The graphic on the blue top is supposed to evoke a star chart.

Jamaica

First

Second

Designer: Umbro

The Reggae Girlz are making their debut in the finals having finished third in the CONCACAF Women's Gold Cup last year. The team was disbanded in 2008 and only reformed in 2014 with the backing and financial support of Ambassador Cedella Marley, daughter of Bob Marley.

Their new strips were launched in September and reflect the vibrant culture of the island. They also afford Umbro the opportunity to combine their own diamond trademark with the Jamaican flag in the sleeve trim on the yellow shirt as well as the graphic on the change top.

Group D

England

First

Second

Designer: Nike

The Lionesses finished third in Canada four years ago and have made steady progress since then to achieve their current FIFA ranking of third. They won the SheBelieves Cup earlier this year, an invitational tournament held in the United States, beating Brazil and Japan and drawing with the United States.

For the first time since the FA assumed responsibilty for the team in 1993, England's women have their own bespoke kits. First choice is pristine white with shirt trim in two tones of red. The change strip is dark red with an elaborate rose tapestry effect printed into the shirt fabric.

Scotland

First

Second

Designer: Adidas

Since 2005 Scotland have made steady progress as a Class A UEFA team (ie eligible to quaify for the European Championships and World Cup finals) and are now ranked 20th. They qualified for Euro 2017 and are in the World Cup finals for the first time, topping their qualifying group after losing just one match.

The team have their own strips: a plain interpretation of traditional dark blue and white accompanied by a Tiro 19 set in pale pink and black. These are attractive enough but it would have been nice if the SFA had showed a bit more imagination considering the team's achievement in reaching the finals.

Argentina

First

Second

Designer: Adidas

Argentina took the scenic route to qualification, finishing third in the Copa América Femenina and having to contest a play-off against the fourth team from the CONCACAF Women's Championship, Panama, which they won comfortably. Their record in the World Cup finals is poor: they suffered heavy defeats in their only previous appearances in 2003 and 2007. Due to the indifference, even hostility of their parent association the team did not play between 2015 and 2017. The advent of the pan-South American #NiUnaMenos feminist movement enouraged the players to see the significance of their sporting endeavour in the context of the wider feminist movement, attracting considerable grass roots support.

The striped kit is the same as those worn by the men's team for the 2019 Copa America.

Japan

First

Second

Designer: Adidas

Currently seventh in the FIFA rankings, Japan have appeared in every World Cup final stage, won the title in 2011 and were runners-up in 2015. Last year they won the Asian Cup for the second time in succession.

Their strips are the same as those of the men's team but with pink trim rather than red.

Group E

Canada

First

Second

Designer: Nike

Canada's best performance in the World Cup finals came in 2003 when they finished fourth followed by reaching the quarter-finals in 2015 when they were hosts. Their captain, Christine Sinclair, named Canadian Player of the Year ten years in succession, 2004-14, has confirmed she will be available for the 2019 squad.

The Nike strips are as plain as possible.

Cameroon

First

Second

Designer: Le Coq Sportif

Les Lionnes Indomtable (The Indomitable Lionesses) appeared in the finals for the first time four years ago when they were narrowly beaten by China in the Round of 16. They have qualified for the second time by finishing third in the African Women Cup of Nations.

Puma's 10 year contract with the Cameroon Football Federation ended on 31 December and it was announced in April that Le Coq Sportif would provide the new kit. The shirts were only revealed on the eve of the tournament.

New Zealand

First

Second

Designer: Nike

Since Australia moved to the Asian Football Confederation in 2006, New Zealand have had a free run at the one place allocated to Oceania due to the poor quality of the other members of the confederation. They have yet to progress beyond the group stage in the finals.

Both men's and women's teams wear identical strips which were introduced last year. They are very plain aside from the silver fern motif printed into the sleeves, a feature that sets them apart from everyone else.

Netherlands

First

Second

Designer: Nike

The Leeuwinnen (Lionesses) have made remarkable progress in the last decade. They qualified for the European Championship finals for the first time in 2009 when they reached the semi-finals and are the current European champions. They reached the Round of 16 in their first World Cup finals in 2015 and are currently eighth in the FIFA rankings.

The orange kit is new and has a graphic on the front of the shirt that represents tulips in some manner. The striking change strip would have been worn in Russia had the boys managed to get there.

A nice note is that a lioness replaces the lion that is on the KNVB crest embroidered on the men's shirts.

Group F

United States

First

Second

Designer: Nike

The United States Women's National Team (USWNT) are the most successful in the world. They have won the World Cup three times (1991, 1999, 2015), were runners-up in 2011 and bronze medal winners in 1995, 2003 and 2007. They have also won every CONCACAF Championship/Gold Cup since it was founded in 1991 apart from 2010 (when they were third) and 1998 when they did not participate. They are top of the FIFA rankings and have never been ranked lower than second. Despite all this success the USSF has refused to agree to equal pay with the men's team. In March the current squad filed a gender discrimination lawsuit.

The kits are new and exclusive to the women's team.

Thailand

First

Second

Designer: Warrix

Thailand competed in the 2015 competition but lost all their matches. Fifth place in the 2018 AFC Women's Asian Cup earned them qualification again. While they are considered the strongest team in south-east Asia, their record against teams from other confederations is not impressive.

The new kits, which are made by a local manufacturer, are different in design to those of the men's team and the change strip is in different colours as well.

Chile

First

Second

Designer: Nike

This is Chile's first appearance in the finals although they have come close on three occasions in the past. Second place in the Copa América Femenina earned them qualification. They are known as Las Chicas de Rojo (The Ladies in Red).

The team wears the same strip as the men's team: a very simple first kit and a rather more complicated change strip.

Sweden

First

Second

Designer: Adidas

Women's football has been strong in Scandinavia for a long time and Sweden have made good showings in the World Cup without winning the title. The closest they have come was 2003 when they lost to Germany in the final. They won bronze medals in 1991 and 2011 but their ranking has slipped in recent years from 3rd in 2007 to 11th in 2018.

Their kits are exclusive to the women's team. These for the first time as far as I am aware, feature a darker blue than we are familar with. They are, however, integrated so that elements can be swapped around as needed.

Historical Football Kits