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- Democratic Republic of the Congo wore black and leopard prints honoring nickname Les Léopards, a nod to royal cultural significance.
- U.S.A. teamed with Nike for custom rugby style shirts and shorts from the Virgil Abloh Archive, blending American colors and Abloh's stamp.
- Ivory Coast arrived in bright orange suits with a bedazzled elephant motif and green bags, honoring flag colors and designer Ibrahim Fernandez.
- Senegal and Ghana joined other African teams, making bold, stylish statements and ensuring the diaspora dresses to impress on American soil.
While serious sports fans all over the world prepare to be glued to their TVs this weekend in anticipation of game after game of the 2026 World Cup, others are already tuning in and scrolling their timelines for an entirely different reason: the fashions! And believe us when we tell you, the looks have been immaculate!
In fact, a handful of teams have already touched down in various cities across the U.S., and we’d be remiss if we didn’t acknowledge just how stylish they look!
Democratic Republic of the Congo
On Friday, the Democratic Republic of the Congo team arrived in Houston to start preparing for their upcoming game, the first since 1974. And not only did they show up, they showed out in clean black and leopard looks. The print wasn’t just a fashion choice either; the team earned the nickname “Les Léopards,” which translates to the Leopards. So what better way to represent that than to step out in a fit that both looks great and serves as a cultural nod? What’s more is that wearing leopard print also holds significance in Congolese culture, as it was usually reserved for the more powerful men in society, like kings and chiefs. Based on some of their reactions, it’s clear that they’re appreciative of the attention they’re getting.
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U.S.A.
Now the U.S.A. (a.k.a. the Home Team) may not be dripping in animal print, but you can believe that they’re still showing up to the World Cup in style. To be specific, they teamed up with Nike to create some new, custom World Cup, rugby-style shirts and matching shorts. What makes this collab even more special is that they’re a part of the Virgil Abloh Archive, a collection that’s been teasing some fire looks over the last few months. With the American colors on deck and Abloh’s essential cosign, can we really lose?
Ivory Coast
Similar to DR Congo, the Ivory Coast also has a nickname for its team: Les Éléphants. So it’s no wonder why they decided to come to Philly all decked out in bright orange suits with a bedazzled, big elephant on the back and green bags, as a nod to the colors of their flag. These pictures that they took afterward turned out pretty fire, too! Clearly, they wanted to make a statement with this look, and they definitely did, thanks in large part to Ivorian designer Ibrahim Fernandez.
Now, it wouldn’t be right if we didn’t acknowledge Senegal and Ghana for their respective looks. But I think it’s pretty safe to say that our brothers across the African diaspora are making sure that they dress to impress on American soil. So far, so good, gentlemen; we approve these fits!
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