© Dale Zanine/Imagn
The United States Men’s National Team hosted Belgium on Saturday for an international friendly in Atlanta ahead of the FIFA World Cup later this year. But when the final whistle blew, none of the talk was about Belgium’s dominant 5-2 victory.
Instead, both teams, and fans watching at home and inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium, were left baffled as the two teams came out wearing incredibly similar-looking jerseys, making it extremely difficult to tell what was happening on the field.
United States are hosting Belgium in Atlanta — but you probably wouldn’t know, with both sides wearing similar colours. pic.twitter.com/cVc0zI48Cd
— The Athletic | Football (@TheAthleticFC) March 28, 2026
The United States wore its red-and-white striped home uniform, while Belgium donned a pale sky blue jersey with pink and black detailing. Even the players had trouble differentiating the two teams at times.
FIFA and IFAB (International Football Association Board) Law 4 dictates that teams must wear colors that distinguish them from each other, the referee, and assistant referees. If the jerseys clash, the away team is typically made to switch to its secondary uniform. However, regulations allow for a mix-and-match approach—such as changing shorts or socks in order to create the necessary contrast.
So, why didn’t that happen on Saturday?
Neither The USA Nor Belgium Came Prepared With Alternate Uniforms
Adam Crafton of The Athletic dug deeper into the matter and came to an embarrassing conclusion: neither team came prepared in the event of a uniform clash.
“Multiple sources familiar with the situation, who remain anonymous as they were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter, told The Athletic that neither team had a spare stash of alternative jerseys to be able to change the kit after the game had started and the clash had become apparent,” Crafton reports.
He also states that the USA assessed whether it could retrieve the proper uniforms from the team hotel, but discovered that it wasn’t realistic within the necessary time frame.
American star Christian Pulisic told reporters that the situation was “difficult to deal with” and “everyone was a bit shocked” when they realized the issue prior to the match.
Similarly, Belgian midfielder Amadou Onana and goalkeeper Senne Lammens admitted to struggling with the clash.
Despite the issues, Crafton reports that the uniform matchup was approved prior to the game taking place and that the clash only became evident when the two teams took the field.