katero
Jun 23, 2026

Ranking every England World Cup kit from 1950 to 2026

Story byThe IndependentThe Independent
England's World Cup kits down the years (Getty Images/The Independent)
England's World Cup kits down the years (Getty Images/The Independent)
Lawrence OstlereTue, June 23, 2026 at 6:39 AM UTC·4 min read

England are competing in their 17th men’s World Cup this summer as they bid to end 60 years of hurt in North America, and they are sporting another new kit as they do so.

The team’s sartorial expressions have shifted through the eras, from the simple shirts of the first tournaments in the 1950s to the uncharacteristically bold pattern of 1982 and the subtle flecks of red and blue in the early 2000s.

AdvertisementAdvertisement

Which kit carries the weight of history? Which shirt conjures sweet notes of nostalgia? Which design is wholly uninspiring?

Here are all of England’s World Cup kits, ranked and rated:

2010, South Africa: A bland kit for modern times, which complemented the team’s performance. England were knocked out by Germany, losing 4-1 in the round of 16 after Frank Lampard’s goal that never was.

John Terry, June 18, 2010 in Cape Town, South Africa (Getty Images)
John Terry, June 18, 2010 in Cape Town, South Africa (Getty Images)

2022, Qatar: The electric blue fade wasn’t great, in hindsight. England went out to France, losing 2-1 in the quarter-finals after Harry Kane’s missed penalty.

Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane, December 10, 2022 in Al Khor, Qatar (Getty Images)
Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane, December 10, 2022 in Al Khor, Qatar (Getty Images)

1970, Mexico: Seemingly the same as 66 but with short sleeves for the Mexican heat. Pleasant enough but lacking the same weight of history. West Germany took a measure of revenge, beating England 3-2 in the quarter-finals.

AdvertisementAdvertisement

2018, Russia: A little more detail in the trim than 2014, but still not very exciting. England reached the semi-finals where they were beaten by Croatia.

Harry Kane, June 24, 2018 in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia (Getty Images)
Harry Kane, June 24, 2018 in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia (Getty Images)

2006, Germany: Perhaps the one World Cup England could have won since 1966, and they would have looked sharp doing it with the St George’s Cross on their shoulder. Instead they lost to Portugal on penalties after Wayne Rooney’s red card.

England players, July 1, 2006 in Gelsenkirchen, Germany (Getty Images)
England players, July 1, 2006 in Gelsenkirchen, Germany (Getty Images)

Other posts