World Cup Kits Released

New US Kits Unveiled Ahead of March Friendlies

U.S. Soccer and Nike have pulled back the curtain on the kits the USMNT will wear when the FIFA World Cup comes to American soil this summer, and unlike the widely panned designs from Qatar in 2022, these ones have players genuinely excited.

The two jerseys draw directly from the stars and stripes of the American flag. The "Stripes" kit features bold red-and-white horizontal stripes that call back to the beloved "Waldo" jersey worn from 2012 to 2014, a design that players had specifically requested during the collaborative process. The "Stars" kit takes a subtler approach—a rich navy blue shirt with barely visible black stars that only reveal themselves in certain light. Attacker Folarin Balogun, who named it his personal favorite, praised its hidden detail and understated elegance.

The design process was notably player-driven, a direct response to the backlash that followed the 2022 unveiling. Nike held multiple workshops and listening sessions with squad members, consulting them on everything from aesthetic preferences to technical details like fabric weight and seam placement. The jerseys also feature a newly designed "Stars and Stripes" font for names and numbers, along with an "Inner Pride" mark inside the collar representing each player's personal motivation.

Perhaps the most significant aspect of this kit cycle is its scope: for the first time in U.S. Soccer history, all 27 national teams, including the four-time World Cup champion women's side, will wear the same two designs, creating a unified identity across the entire federation.

Fans will get their first look at the kits in action when the USMNT faces Belgium on March 28 in Atlanta, followed by a clash with Portugal days later. The team's World Cup campaign then kicks off June 12 against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood.

Berhalter Strong Again

Midfielder Stakes World Cup Claim With Stunning First-Half Display

Sebastian Berhalter produced a Man of the Match performance as Vancouver Whitecaps thrashed Minnesota United 6-0 on Sunday at BC Place, making MLS history in the process. The 24-year-old American midfielder capped a remarkable first half with a goal and two assists inside 45 minutes, putting in the kind of display that demands the attention of USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino ahead of this summer's World Cup.

Berhalter opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the eighth minute before turning provider twice before the break, helping Vancouver establish an emphatic 4-0 halftime lead. The Whitecaps' victory, which was their fourth straight to open the season, made them the first team in MLS history to start consecutive seasons with a 4-0-0 (WDL) record and a plus-13 goal differential. It was a stunning response to their 3-0 midweek defeat against Seattle Sounders in the CONCACAF Champions Cup.

"It doesn't mean we're a bad team losing one game," Berhalter said. "For us, it was just about doing what we do and sticking to our principles."

His underlying numbers backed up the eye test. Across 65 minutes, he completed 32-of-40 passes, drove seven balls into the final third, created two chances, including one big chance, and made six defensive contributions—a reflection of the two-way engine he provides from the base of midfield. Vancouver manager Jesper Sørensen has been unstinting in his praise, noting that Berhalter is the only player to have started every game this season and describing him as the fulcrum around which the team's style is built.

With Pochettino's USMNT squad announcement for the March friendlies imminent, Berhalter is doing everything possible to make himself impossible to ignore.