Why These Two Colors Can’t Be Worn Together in International Matches
When you think of football, a few jersey colors probably come to mind first — red and blue. These are iconic, powerful colors worn by some of the biggest clubs and national teams in the world. Manchester United, Barcelona, Chelsea, Liverpool, and countless others proudly wear them on matchday.
So it might seem surprising — even a little bizarre — to hear that in international football, FIFA discourages red and blue kits from being worn in the same match.
Why? It’s not because of branding or superstition. It’s not even for the players.
It’s because of the fans. Specifically, fans who still watch matches on black-and-white televisions.
1. Kit Clashes: A Real-World Issue
Football is fast, fluid, and dependent on quick decision-making. Players need to know where their teammates are at a glance. Referees need to track fouls, offsides, and tactical fouls instantly. Fans? They want to enjoy the match without confusion.
That’s why all professional teams, whether club or country, have at least two or three kits — a home kit, an away kit, and often a third kit for tricky matchups.
These aren’t just for marketing. They’re to prevent visual confusion on the pitch.
Most of the time, teams simply make sure they’re not wearing colors that are too similar. A team in yellow can’t play a team in gold. A team in white won’t play a team in light grey.
But at the international level, FIFA goes a step further.
2. Red vs Blue: The Black-and-White Problem
In many parts of the world, especially rural areas across Africa, South Asia, and South America, black-and-white TVs are still used. These older televisions don’t display color — just shades of grey.
Now here’s the issue: on a black-and-white screen, red and blue look almost identical. There’s virtually no contrast. This creates a confusing and frustrating viewing experience for millions of people who rely on these TVs to watch major tournaments like the World Cup.
To solve this, FIFA instituted a regulation: when selecting national team kits for high-level international matches, teams must avoid using red and blue together.
This ensures that even those watching in monochrome can distinguish between the two sides — maintaining accessibility for all.
3. Football for Everyone
This rule is a small but powerful example of how football remains a truly global game.
FIFA understands that not every fan watches matches on 4K TVs or ultra-fast fiber internet. For some, football is experienced on a community screen in a village square, or a hand-me-down TV powered by a car battery.
And that’s exactly why this rule exists — not to limit team identity, but to preserve clarity for everyone, regardless of technology.
In a world where big-money sponsors, streaming platforms, and billion-dollar stadiums dominate headlines, it’s easy to forget that the soul of football is universal access. That includes those watching in black-and-white.
4. Have We Seen This in Action?
Yes — there have been multiple occasions when FIFA has asked teams to switch kits or wear alternate colors, not because of similarity in full-color broadcasts, but because of poor contrast in greyscale.
This happened most often in World Cup qualifiers and continental tournaments involving regions with limited broadcasting infrastructure.
In fact, many kit manufacturers now create alternate versions of jerseys specifically designed to maximize contrast in low-visibility settings — including black-and-white screens and high-glare environments.
5. Final Whistle: A Rule With Heart
So next time you see your favorite national team wearing their “second choice” jersey, and wonder why they didn’t wear their traditional red or blue, remember this:
It’s not just about style. It’s about respecting every single football fan on the planet — from London to Lagos, from Tokyo to Tegucigalpa.
Football belongs to all of us. And sometimes, all it takes is a simple jersey change to make the game just a little more inclusive.
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