Wednesday 05 Nov 2025

New Northern Ireland home kit unveiled

A new Northern Ireland home kit was launched by adidas today.

Featuring a teal and green base, the jersey is punctuated by an abstract graphic inspired by the transatlantic ships traditionally built in the shipyards of Belfast.

It will be worn for the first time by the senior men’s team in the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier against Luxembourg in Belfast on 17 November - and will be available to purchase from JD, the Irish Football Association’s retail partner, both online (jdsports.co.uk) and in-store from 9am tomorrow (6 November).

The new kit was among 22 unveiled by adidas partner federations ahead of next year’s World Cup in Canada, Mexico and USA.

Other countries launching adidas kits today included Algeria, Argentina, Belgium, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Peru, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Scotland, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, Venezuela and Wales.

Adidas said the FIFA World Cup 2026 home jersey collection combines historic visual identities and traditions of each nation and “portrays them in a modernist, forward-looking aesthetic”.

Sam Handy, GM Football at adidas, said: “The national kit is the symbol of a nation’s togetherness and pride. As teams step on to the world stage at the biggest World Cup we have ever seen, they carry the hopes of a whole new generation of fans, while representing those that have come before them.

“A World Cup is about creating moments that transcend the stadium, so we’ve engineered the designs as an honour to each nation’s roots but also to celebrate an era where every fan, everywhere, is part of the story.”

Adidas said the designs are representative of a liberated style of play and fresh perspectives on the game, aiming to bridge the gap between every generation of fan.

It explained: “The bold array of jerseys reflects the heart of each nation via colourways and patterns that celebrate key aspects of each nation’s identity. From their rich histories to famous landscapes, traditional architecture and iconic past kit designs, each jersey aims to unite fans around a shared passion for their nation.

“Throughout subtle details that nod to the tournament’s storied history - including acknowledgements of historic jersey designs, past victories and memorable dates – can be discovered when viewed up close, creating ongoing moments of delight for fans past the first viewing.”

It said the full range is crafted for performance, built to support world class players in high-pressure moments to cope with the varying conditions they will experience across three unique host nations.

Adidas further noted: “To tackle the more intense warm weather conditions, body-mapped 3D engineered mechanical stretch fabrics incorporating adidas' latest CLIMACOOL+ materials wick sweat faster, keeping players dryer for longer.

“Perforated wide three-stripe tapes enable ultimate breathability, while strategically placed mesh holes on both fabric and trims deliver best-in-class air permeability, ensuring optimal ventilation even in the most demanding climates.” 

The jerseys also feature a new lenticular heat-printed adidas logo expression, a process that creates a unique shapeshifting appearance to the adidas logo, adding a bold and innovative visual detail, it added.

Thomas Mace, VP Design at adidas Football, said: “Designing our jersey roster for the FIFA World Cup 2026 has been about honouring each nation’s unique identity while pushing the boundaries of innovation and performance.

“Every jersey tells a story - blending cultural heritage with modern aesthetics - and is built using our most advanced technologies to keep players cool and comfortable on football’s biggest stage. From the bold visual details to the shapeshifting lenticular logo and innovative ventilation features, this collection represents the future of football jersey design.”