ATLANTA, March 29 - A clash of kit colors during the U.S. vs Belgium friendly caused confusion for players and viewers. Both teams wore new designs for the upcoming World Cup.
The U.S. donned a red and white jersey inspired by the American flag. Belgium wore a light blue kit with pink accents, making them visually similar. Players struggled to distinguish teams during play.
Belgian winger Jeremy Doku said, “Sometimes you had to look twice.” U.S. captain Christian Pulisic added, “You only can base it off the colour of the shirt,” highlighting the issue.
Belgian TV apologized and criticized organizers. Former international Marc Degryse called the situation ‘unacceptable’ and against football's commercial goals.
US Soccer claimed no prior indication of conflict. Reports suggest Belgium proposed switching to their traditional red kit, but that wasn't possible due to color similarity.
Ultimately, the U.S. opted to keep their new design, despite the controversy. Both teams will wear the kits at the June 11-July 19 World Cup in Canada and Mexico.