Argentina to Wear Navy Kit Against England After FIFA Approval

FIFA has approved Argentina’s request to wear their alternate navy-blue kit for Wednesday’s FIFA World Cup semi-final against England, granting the South American champions their preferred colours for the highly anticipated encounter at Atlanta Stadium.

The decision was confirmed in FIFA’s official Match Colour Designation release, which states that Argentina will take the field in their navy-blue shirts, paired with white shorts and red socks, instead of their traditional sky blue and white striped home kit.

The request comes as Argentina seeks every possible advantage ahead of a match that will determine one of the finalists in the tournament. The fixture also carries historical significance, with Argentina having experienced mixed fortunes against England while wearing different kits.

Argentina suffered defeats to England while wearing their iconic striped shirts at the 1966 FIFA World Cup and again in the 2002 tournament.

However, the three-time world champions secured victories over England in both the 1986 and 1998 World Cups while wearing navy blue, a coincidence that has added symbolic value to their choice of kit.

Although there is no competitive advantage associated with the change in colours, the Argentine Football Association is expected to welcome the approval, with the alternate strip carrying positive historical memories that could provide a psychological boost ahead of the semi-final.

England, meanwhile, are set to wear their traditional home kit for the match. The Three Lions have worn their red change strip only once during the tournament, in their group-stage victory over Panama.