There will be blood, sweat and tears on players\u2019 soccer jerseys at the World Cup<\/span> \u2014 and plenty of deeper cultural and historical meaning, too.<\/p>\n Here, The Associated Press runs you through some of the more compelling \u2014 and controversial \u2014 backstories from the kit designs on show in soccer\u2019s biggest event, currently taking place in the United States, Canada and Mexico.<\/p>\n Spain\u2019s Pau Cubarsi (22) runs for the ball as Cape Verde\u2019s Jovane Cabral (7) follows him during the World Cup Group H soccer match between Spain and Cape Verde in Atlanta, Monday, June 15, 2026. (AP Photo\/Mike Stewart)<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n Spain\u2019s Pau Cubarsi (22) runs for the ball as Cape Verde\u2019s Jovane Cabral (7) follows him during the World Cup Group H soccer match between Spain and Cape Verde in Atlanta, Monday, June 15, 2026. (AP Photo\/Mike Stewart)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Add AP News on Google <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/span> Share<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Read More<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n For its World Cup debut, the smallest nation by population at the tournament is paying homage to the roughly 525,000 inhabitants who live on 10 volcanic islands off the coast of Africa. A geometric, triangular print across its blue (home) and white (away) jerseys represents the network of flight paths that connect the islands. The idea is that the people of Cape Verde are united behind the players at the World Cup \u2014 and that togetherness showed as the team held firm to seal an unlikely 0-0 draw<\/span> with heavily favored Spain in their first match.<\/p>\n Belgium\u2019s Joaquin Seys (18) and Axel Witsel celebrate after defeating the United States in an international friendly soccer match, Saturday, March 28, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo\/Mike Stewart)<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n Belgium\u2019s Joaquin Seys (18) and Axel Witsel celebrate after defeating the United States in an international friendly soccer match, Saturday, March 28, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo\/Mike Stewart)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Add AP News on Google <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/span> Share<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Read More<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n \u201cThis is not a jersey,\u201d reads a message on the collar of Belgium\u2019s multicolor away shirt<\/span>. No, the Belgians aren\u2019t losing their minds. It\u2019s just a nod to the European nation\u2019s surrealist heritage \u2014 and notably the work of its master in this artistic movement from the early 20th century. Throughout his career, Belgian artist Ren\u00e9 Magritte questioned the enigmatic relationship of mind and eye, reality and language, writing under \u201cThe Treachery of Images\u201d \u2014 his iconic painting of a pipe \u2014 the words: \u201cCeci n\u2019est pas une pipe (This is not a pipe).\u201d The light-blue jersey features pink patterns and black detailing, incorporating soccer-inspired motifs such as pitch lines and a ball. \u201cTrue to the surrealism theme, the kit sparks the imagination and invites conversation,\u201d the Belgian federation says.<\/p>\n Haiti players react to fans following the World Cup Group C soccer match between Haiti and Scotland in Foxborough, Mass., near Boston, Saturday, June 13, 2026. (AP Photo\/Martin Meissner)<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n Haiti players react to fans following the World Cup Group C soccer match between Haiti and Scotland in Foxborough, Mass., near Boston, Saturday, June 13, 2026. (AP Photo\/Martin Meissner)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Add AP News on Google <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/span> Share<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Read More<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n The original jersey submitted by this Caribbean nation included a depiction of the final battle of the Haitian War of Independence in 1803 on its front. In the words of Colombian sportswear manufacturer Saeta, it was a \u201ctribute to the men and women who contribute every day to Haiti\u2019s future.\u201d It didn\u2019t go down too well with FIFA, which rejected the image<\/span> during its approval process, deeming it too political. So an updated blue soccer kit was needed, one that no longer includes the battle artwork.<\/p>\n Honduras\u2019 Joseph Rosales (8) fights off Argentina midfielder Alexis Mac Allister (20) and midfielder Exequiel Palacios (14) during the second half of an international friendly soccer match Saturday, June 6, 2026, in College Station, Texas. (AP Photo\/Sam Craft)<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n Honduras\u2019 Joseph Rosales (8) fights off Argentina midfielder Alexis Mac Allister (20) and midfielder Exequiel Palacios (14) during the second half of an international friendly soccer match Saturday, June 6, 2026, in College Station, Texas. (AP Photo\/Sam Craft)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Add AP News on Google <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/span> Share<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Read More<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n The defending World Cup champion is mixing sporting heritage with artistic expression in its jerseys. The home kit \u2014 worn by Lionel Messi<\/span> for his hat trick against Algeria on Tuesday \u2014 features three shades of blue on its stripes, an homage to the South American nation\u2019s World Cup-winning uniforms from 1978, 1986 and 2022. As for its dark blue away jersey, that\u2019s inspired by a traditional painting technique from capital city Buenos Aires \u2014 filete porte\u00f1o<\/span> \u2014 that\u2019s used for ornamental design, combining brilliant, swirling colors with specific lettering styles.<\/p>\n Kylian Mbappe of France runs during the international friendly soccer match between Brazil and France in Foxborough, Mass, Thursday, March 26, 2026. (AP Photo\/Charles Krupa)<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n Kylian Mbappe of France runs during the international friendly soccer match between Brazil and France in Foxborough, Mass, Thursday, March 26, 2026. (AP Photo\/Charles Krupa)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Add AP News on Google <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/span> Share<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Read More<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n France arrived for the World Cup with an away kit that honors a gift the nation famously gave to the United States: the Statue of Liberty. The jersey has a green hue that resembles the oxidized color of the iconic sculpture designed by a Frenchman \u2014 Fr\u00e9d\u00e9ric-Auguste Bartholdi \u2014 and given to the United States in 1886 as a symbol of French-American friendship. On the jersey is a logo in copper \u2014 the original color of the statue \u2014 with the words \u201cNos diff\u00e9rences nous unissent\u201d (Our differences unite us).<\/p>\n Iran\u2019s Ramin Rezaeian (23) celebrates with his teammates after scoring a goal during the World Cup Group G soccer match between Iran and New Zealand in Inglewood, Calif., near Los Angeles, Monday, June 15, 2026. (AP Photo\/Andre Penner)<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n Iran\u2019s Ramin Rezaeian (23) celebrates with his teammates after scoring a goal during the World Cup Group G soccer match between Iran and New Zealand in Inglewood, Calif., near Los Angeles, Monday, June 15, 2026. (AP Photo\/Andre Penner)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Add AP News on Google <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/span> Share<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Read More<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n The most striking imagery on Iran\u2019s home (white) and away (red) kits is an Asiatic cheetah low across the front. There also are cheetah spots on the sleeves up to the shoulder. The Asiatic cheetah, an equally fast cousin of the African cat, is one of the world\u2019s critically endangered species<\/span> \u2014 one that Iran has long tried to save. There were as many as 400 in the 1990s but the numbers have dwindled to less than an estimated 70 remaining in Iran.<\/p>\n Norway\u2019s Erling Haaland (9), center, celebrates with teammates after scoring his side\u2019s second goal during the World Cup Group I soccer match between Iraq and Norway in Foxborough, Mass., near Boston, Tuesday, June 16, 2026. (AP Photo\/Charles Krupa)<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n Norway\u2019s Erling Haaland (9), center, celebrates with teammates after scoring his side\u2019s second goal during the World Cup Group I soccer match between Iraq and Norway in Foxborough, Mass., near Boston, Tuesday, June 16, 2026. (AP Photo\/Charles Krupa)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Add AP News on Google <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/span> Share<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Read More<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Norway\u2019s kit might be the sharpest at the World Cup \u2014 literally. The font used for the names and numbers of players is inspired by runic writing \u2014 characters in several Germanic alphabets used in northern Europe from ancient times until the adoption of the Latin alphabet. The writing is pointy, geometric and easily visible, representing the Norwegian team\u2019s desire to embrace its centuries-old history<\/span>. Flanking the large blue cross across the chest are Viking art patterns in an Urnes style.<\/p>\n Colombia\u2019s Luis Diaz, left, celebrates scoring his side\u2019s second goal against Costa Rica during a friendly soccer match in Bogota, Colombia, Monday, June 1, 2026. (AP Photo\/Fernando Vergara)<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n Colombia\u2019s Luis Diaz, left, celebrates scoring his side\u2019s second goal against Costa Rica during a friendly soccer match in Bogota, Colombia, Monday, June 1, 2026. (AP Photo\/Fernando Vergara)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Add AP News on Google <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/span> Share<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Read More<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Look closely at Colombia\u2019s typically vibrant yellow jersey and you\u2019ll notice a burst of butterfly patterns. That\u2019s an homage to the classic novel by the nation\u2019s Nobel Prize-winning author, Gabriel Garcia Marquez<\/span>, \u201cOne Hundred Years of Solitude,\u201d and the stories that made him literature\u2019s best-known practitioner of magical realism \u2014 the blending of the everyday with fantastical elements such as a man trailed by a cloud of yellow butterflies.<\/p>\n Mexico\u2019s Julian Quinones celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the World Cup Group A soccer match between Mexico and South Africa in Mexico City, Thursday, June 11, 2026. (AP Photo\/Natacha Pisarenko)<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n Mexico\u2019s Julian Quinones celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the World Cup Group A soccer match between Mexico and South Africa in Mexico City, Thursday, June 11, 2026. (AP Photo\/Natacha Pisarenko)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Add AP News on Google <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/span> Share<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Read More<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Mexico\u2019s home jersey brings back the Aztec calendar design that was popular in the 1990s. In the run-up to the World Cup, the team visited the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City and posed for a photo with the uniforms in front of the Aztec \u201cPiedra de Sol\u201d<\/span> or Stone of the Sun, best known as the Aztec calendar.<\/p>\n Saudi Arabia team pose for a group photo prior to the World Cup Group H soccer match between Saudi Arabia and Uruguay in Miami Gardens, Fla., Monday, June 15, 2026. (AP Photo\/Rebecca Blackwell)<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n Saudi Arabia team pose for a group photo prior to the World Cup Group H soccer match between Saudi Arabia and Uruguay in Miami Gardens, Fla., Monday, June 15, 2026. (AP Photo\/Rebecca Blackwell)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Add AP News on Google <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/span> Share<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Read More<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Dotted across Saudi Arabia\u2019s dark green home jersey are symmetrical lavender squares or diamond shapes, a tribute to doorway decoration \u2014 namely geometric, triangular architecture \u2014 commonly seen in homes in the kingdom. Wild lavender flowers fill Saudi\u2019s desert landscapes in springtime, so purple is a celebrated color in the nation and regarded as a symbol of generosity.<\/p>\n Egypt\u2019s Mohamed Salah (10) runs beside Brazil\u2019s L\u00e9o Pereira (15) during an international friendly soccer match in Cleveland, Saturday, June 6, 2026. (AP Photo\/David Richard)<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/figure>\nCape Verde\u2019s flight paths<\/h2>\n
![\"Spain's](\"https:\/\/dims.apnews.com\/dims4\/default\/a448910\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/2557x1705+0+0\/resize\/599x399!\/quality\/90\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.apnews.com%2F7a%2F82%2Fb21be13b4fd992dcf9860d1dfa99%2Fap26166589911964.jpg\")
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\n <\/span><\/p>\nBelgium\u2019s surrealism<\/h2>\n
![\"Belgium's](\"https:\/\/dims.apnews.com\/dims4\/default\/f29cb57\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/2835x1890+0+0\/resize\/599x399!\/quality\/90\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.apnews.com%2Fa8%2F6c%2F6910cd5347929f8887bdc892afc2%2Fap26087797255126.jpg\")
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\n <\/span><\/p>\nHaiti\u2019s battle scene<\/h2>\n
![\"Haiti](\"https:\/\/dims.apnews.com\/dims4\/default\/d6d2109\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/5941x3961+0+0\/resize\/599x399!\/quality\/90\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.apnews.com%2Fe3%2F13%2Fb56ec1854d5aa9eeeaf14f56afa6%2Fap26165117278515.jpg\")
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\n <\/span><\/p>\nArgentina\u2019s swirling paint technique<\/h2>\n
![\"Honduras'](\"https:\/\/dims.apnews.com\/dims4\/default\/0514397\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/4484x2990+0+0\/resize\/599x399!\/quality\/90\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.apnews.com%2F0b%2F24%2F31af3cb74877abf254428e9f0172%2Fap26158107402866.jpg\")
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\n <\/span><\/p>\nFrance\u2019s American connection<\/h2>\n
![\"Kylian](\"https:\/\/dims.apnews.com\/dims4\/default\/73d3ae2\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/3191x2127+0+0\/resize\/599x399!\/quality\/90\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.apnews.com%2F8f%2Feb%2F00ca5dd54a9182e51deabea0ac26%2Fap26086261707140.jpg\")
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\n <\/span><\/p>\nIran\u2019s endangered Asiatic cheetah<\/h2>\n
![\"Iran's](\"https:\/\/dims.apnews.com\/dims4\/default\/de34023\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/4012x2674+0+0\/resize\/599x399!\/quality\/90\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.apnews.com%2F25%2F89%2F9bcf73d74620965ae2fb166d1337%2Fap26167069202082.jpg\")
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\n <\/span><\/p>\nNorway\u2019s runic font<\/h2>\n
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\n <\/span><\/p>\nColombia\u2019s yellow butterflies<\/h2>\n
![\"Colombia's](\"https:\/\/dims.apnews.com\/dims4\/default\/2c3a19d\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/3148x2099+0+0\/resize\/599x399!\/quality\/90\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.apnews.com%2Fbd%2F35%2F35376ade46d3904fbb5e37686ddc%2Fap26152860438046.jpg\")
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\n <\/span><\/p>\nMexico\u2019s Aztec calendar <\/h2>\n
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\n <\/span><\/p>\nSaudi Arabia\u2019s architecture<\/h2>\n
![\"Saudi](\"https:\/\/dims.apnews.com\/dims4\/default\/25dc37b\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/4528x3019+0+0\/resize\/599x399!\/quality\/90\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.apnews.com%2Fd8%2F74%2Fc318f4024b4e9b1da28a51ff01e4%2Fap26166795864166.jpg\")
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\n <\/span><\/p>\nBrazil\u2019s Amazonian frogs<\/h2>\n
![\"Egypt's](\"https:\/\/dims.apnews.com\/dims4\/default\/70c6333\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/5197x3465+0+0\/resize\/599x399!\/quality\/90\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.apnews.com%2F56%2Fa9%2F42de3ac24463be9216eb37e1db45%2Fap26158031283460.jpg\")
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