This was clearly evident during the opening match of the 2026 World Cup between Mexico and South Africa in Mexico City last Thursday, where it seemed as if almost every player on the field was wearing bright pink shoes.
The same observation was repeated in the match between the Czech Republic and South Korea, which was held yesterday, Friday, where most of the players of the two teams appeared wearing pink shoes.
According to a report published by the BBC, the main reason behind this wave is that the three major companies dominating the market, namely the American “Nike” and the German “Adidas” and “Puma”, have produced designs similar in their visual identity specifically for this global event.
In 2024, WGSN, a company specializing in anticipating market trends, predicted that the color “electric fuchsia” would be one of the defining colors for the 2026 summer season, describing it as “a luminous shade between pink and purple.”
There are other factors that explain the success of the color pink in the world of football. Today’s players are more open and receptive to wearing bold and exaggeratedly designed shoes compared to previous generations.
However, the simple reason behind companies choosing pink lies in the strong visual contrast that this color creates with the green of the field, which clearly stands out whether you are watching the match on television, from the stands of the stadium, or even while browsing video clips on your mobile phone.
