USMNT World Cup 2026 kits: Inside the process that involved hundreds of designs and unprecedented player feedback

Maribeth Towers had been a part of the kit design process before. In fact, she'd done so hundreds of times. Over her nearly-decade-long tenure as the Senior Vice President of Consumer Products at MLS, she had been part of a process that designed around 30 new kits each and every year.

This process, though, was different. Upon joining U.S. Soccer as VP of Consumer Products in 2022, Towers immediately knew the stakes, which is why work on the USMNT's World Cup kits began shortly into her time at the federation.

"I told everyone that what you're about to be involved with is once in a lifetime, let's be honest," she says. "Everyone has been stressed, and sometimes you have to take a deep breath and appreciate that you are part of this. You're involved in a moment that is epic."

Typical timelines for any bespoke jersey are around 18 months. This one started two-and-a-half years ago. In truth, it started even before that with the selection of fabrics, all of which were bespoke. To kickstart the process, Nike began working with fabric houses to find ways to optimize performance. Then, it was about finding factories that could even produce these types of fabrics at the scale required for a country heading into a World Cup.

It took a village. Towers can't even put an exact number on it. There were dozens on the Nike side and dozens more on her team, with both sides working together throughout the process to put together something that checked every box. Could they find a fabric that aided performance? Could they find colorways that made sense from both a design and production standpoint? More than anything, though, could they produce something that would live up to the expectations that come with a World Cup that is so unique?

"Everyone on the Nike side and on the player side understood what a huge moment this was," she says. "We're hosting, and that's definitely a different space with all that implies. Because of that, Nike wanted to do a deep dive into research into not just fabric, not just technical, not just color or design, but emotion. What does it mean? What do these moments mean to people?"

To do that, designers spoke to everyone they could. Fans were consulted, including American Outlaws. Most notably, though, there was an unprecedented amount of input from those who will actually wear the jersey this summer. Throughout the process, there was a deep, deep focus on the players themselves.

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The USMNT, like America itself, is a unique group, one with a wide variety of personalities and tastes. Some cared deeply about the design process and dove in as much as they possibly could. Others were less enthused, just excited to see the end product. Throughout it all, though, everyone was consulted, and they were consulted in waves.

There were three major moments in the design process, Towers says, with the fourth coming this fall when the final kits were unveiled to the players. The process was, of course, a challenge due to the nature of international soccer. Every camp brought new voices and new opinions, which meant that dozens of players ultimately had their voices heard at some point in the process.

Despite subtle differences, though, the messaging from players was clear from the start. Whatever the end product would be, they wanted something memorable.

"I just wanted it to be unique," Balogun said when asked about the process. "I wanted it to be something that, when you gift the jersey to friends and family and they wear it, they're excited and have this feeling that the jersey is unique. We're one of the host nations, so there was a big emphasis on making sure it stood out from the others, and I think they did that."

To get there, the process began with hundreds of potential kits. Those were narrowed down to a point where Nike could present the players with just a few. At the start, the players just saw art and mock-ups. Many offered feedback, sending the designers back to the drawing board each time.

"What do you expect from a technical standpoint? From a design standpoint? Emotionally, what does it mean when you put this on and step on the pitch? What do you want to feel? With the players, you never know what to expect, right? The interviews were intense and deep,"  Towers said. "They talked about where they started their soccer jersey. They got into their favorite kits. They got into the why."

The process wasn't always smooth. There were moments during it where designers thought they nailed it, only for players to offer feedback revealing they hadn't. For the design team, those moments are tough. Every iteration of a jersey comes with some measure of emotional attachment but, in the end, the process was about developing the players' attachment, not their own.

 "The players were really respectful, but they were really firm in their thoughts. For designers, it's hard to hear that, but it wasn't criticism; critique is the better word. When they came back with the next design, the players applauded them. They were so happy with what they had come up with, so it was a special process," Towers said.

 A two-and-a-half-year process had finally produced something tangible, something the players could hold and embrace.

Towers is quick to speak to the differences between the two kits. It's intentional.

"The stripes kit is very American," she said. "It's overtly rah rah with the U.S. stripes. The stars kit is more subtle. One of the comments that was made by a few of the players along the way was, 'Hey, we want both. We want something super overt and we want a kit that you could wear to a friends on a Friday night because it's just a great design'. There was that duality."

The Stripes kit is certainly going to be the attention-grabber. Featuring a red and white striped pattern, the kit is meant to evoke the American flag. To get that look and feel required a certain level of texture. During the design process, the players said they didn't just want plain hoops; they wanted something bold, something that had movement and motion to it.

"The Stripes kit is almost like waving," Towers said, "So it has movement to it, right? It was very interesting because when we zeroed in on that kit, they wanted the waving flag. It kind of surprised me because some of the other ones were a little more subtle. A few of them made the comment that they wanted to be able to look up in the stands and know exactly where our fans are. They want to look up and say, 'Yeah, that's us'."

The players were not particularly thrilled with the first iterations of the Stars kit, which led to the designers going back to the drawing board. It wasn't an entire makeover, Towers says, but a significant one. This kit required a bit more work. Instead of big and bold, those design elements are more hidden, giving the kit a sleeker feel.

"Personally, I prefer the [Stars]," Balogun said. "I like the stealthiness of it. It's got so much hidden detail. It's got the stars, and you can only see them in the right sort of light. It's such a beautiful kit. The moment I saw that kit, I was like, 'I can't wait to play in that'. It's something different and unique. My preference is the [Stars] kit, but I'm also looking forward to wearing the [Stripes] kit because I know what it represents. It's a lot more of a statement.

"It's a really iconic and unique kit. I believe kits create history, and we can make some really memorable moments in this...A lot of the boys are very happy.

It was recently Jersey Day at the federation, which meant that everyone at U.S. Soccer would get their first real look at the jersey. They also heard about everything that went into it. Designers told stories, merchandisers shared how it all came to be. It suddenly became apparent to everyone in the room just how many people had their hands on the process.

"When you think about what goes into this, it's not only the length of time, but the number of people who weigh in on every single element," Towers says. "It goes from tech to color to fabric to details. You pick every piece of it and that's someone."

All of those people will feel a unique sense of pride this summer when they see those pieces come together. On June 12, when the USMNT steps onto the field for their World Cup opener against Paraguay, dozens of people will see their work come to life. It won't just be the players living that moment; it'll be all of the people who provided the color to help bring that moment to life.

From there, it's on the players' shoulders. Kits can become iconic from simple aesthetics, sure, but the best kits are the ones you associate with a moment. The 1994 kits have stood the test of time. The 2010 kits evoke memories of Landon Donovan against Algeria. The 2014? Dempsey against Ghana. Ronaldo's iconic Brazil jersey, Thierry Henry's in the Arsenal O2, Ajax with Cruff on the back - all legendary for their own reasons.

Will the Stars kit become legendary? Will the Stripes? What type of memories can be made in these shirts, and what will be remembered about them decades from now? For most of the people who brought this kit to life, that's now out of their hands. They, like everyone else, will be watching on as the USMNT look to turn these kits into ones that can stand the test of time.

"The moments a player makes in the jersey are what make it iconic," Balogun said. "Memorable stuff has to be done, collectively, with big results against tough opponents. That would be a standout moment not just for us, but for the U.S. fans. Individual moments, a moment of brilliance, that's going to stand out. These are just emotions you can't really predict, but iconic moments can transform anything, and that's the excitement of why we play the sport."

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