Women's Health June 17, 2026 0 Comments

The Untold Story Behind the USMNT’s World Cup Kits: Meet the Powerhouse Woman Who Defied the Odds to Design Them

Isn’t it wild how a jersey can tell a story all on its own? As the U.S. Men’s National Team gears up for the 2026 FIFA World Cup—with a fresh coach, rookie players stepping onto the world stage, and a completely revamped look—there’s more than just skill on display. Behind those stripes and stars are some seriously creative women putting their stamp on the iconic kits, blending tradition with innovation in ways that scream pride and progress. It’s not just about fabric and design—it’s about identity, representation, and a new chapter unfolding on home turf, with the U.S. co-hosting alongside Mexico and Canada. So, what magic happens when design meets passion, and who’s really shaping this game on and off the field? Let’s dive into the story behind the scenes, where creativity and culture collide. LEARN MORE

3 min read

The United States Men’s National Team is entering the 2026 FIFA World Cup with plenty of newness: a new coach, a roster with several first-time World Cup players, and, fittingly, a new look.

The team is still chasing its first World Cup title, and the stakes are especially high this year, with the U.S. co-hosting the tournament alongside Mexico and Canada. While it is the men’s World Cup, some of the minds behind the USMNT’s uniforms are women.

Yazmin Rosete is a Nike Senior Designer in Global Football Apparel and was one of the lead designers behind these new jerseys. Rosete tells Women’s Health that the process of creating the design was not quick—in fact, it started before she had her daughter, who is now 15 months old.

She says the creation was collaborative, with the design team getting input from the players about what they envisioned and how they would like to be represented.

“We just wanted to give ourselves enough time to really have that engagement with the athlete, listen to the athlete’s voice, and make sure they felt represented with this collection,” she says.

When it came to the visuals, Rosete said the designers were open to as much feedback from the players as possible.

“I think in general it was very abstract,” she says. “We wanted to make sure that they didn’t have to necessarily design the jersey—that is our job—but we wanted to know what they like [and] how they want to feel.”

Sebastian Frej//Getty Images

Another reason this particular kit is special is because it unifies all the U.S. Soccer National Teams under one full visual identity—all the players from the youth teams will share the crest and design, including the women’s teams.

The collection has two distinct jerseys, with a stars kit (away) and a stripes kit (home). The stripes kit is the classic red and white stripes, but are curved, reminiscent of the American flag flapping in the wind. The stars kit is more subtle, with monochromatic stars embellished on the deep navy blue jersey.

Rosete’s favorite part of the designs is the texture. “I think the most exciting part is how tactile these jerseys are,” she says. “If you touch the crest, you could see different heights of it, and there’s different colors and gradients.”

Rosete explains that usually the design team keeps the crest the same throughout, but decided to tweak it this year for the different jerseys.

USMNT 2026 Stadium Home Women's Dri-FIT Soccer Replica Jersey

“Usually we don’t touch the crest, but we had fun with it,” she says. “We made sure that the home crest has the home colors, so you can see that off-white, that red gradient, the dark to light coming through. And then for the away, you have that platinum satin raised silicone.”

Rosete was not the only woman on the design team. There were a total of five, including color designer Natalie McKeough, who Rosete worked closely with.

“It’s honestly a really diverse team,” she says. “I really mean it that this collection felt so special, and that I don’t think one designer should do everything, especially when it’s [our] home nation.”

For Rosete, the project also carried personal meaning. As a Mexican-American designer who grew up with soccer as a major part of her life, working on a World Cup collection for the U.S. felt especially significant. “I grew up watching soccer, fútbol, so it’s the sport,” she says.

The USMNT has had a complicated history with the World Cup. Its best finish came in 1930, when the team placed third in the tournament’s inaugural edition. In the modern era, its strongest run came in 2002, when the U.S. reached the quarterfinals. After failing to qualify in 2018, the team returned in 2022 with a young roster that reached the Round of 16 before falling 3-1 to the Netherlands.

Now, with new coach Mauricio Pochettino leading the team and a new generation of players wearing the crest, the 2026 World Cup represents another chance for the USMNT to define itself.

For Rosete, helping create what the players will wear in that moment was both a creative challenge and a way to give back.

“It was really fun to put together a team to do different aspects and have that come through,” she says.

Alyssa Cruz is the social media editor at Women’s Health, where she drives social strategy and helps shape the brand’s voice across platforms. Prior to WH, she worked at CBS News and palabra. Originally from Toledo, she is a proud alumna of Ohio University, where she received two bachelor’s degrees in journalism and Spanish. When she is not creating social content, you can find her trying different restaurants in New York City or planning her next trip.