Women's soccer teams ditched white shorts at the World Cup. Here's why that matters

[Jilly_in_VA]

When England take the field at Sunday’s Women’s World Cup final, the team won’t look the same as the one that won the European championship last July. The difference? No white shorts.

They are not alone. While some teams still donned light shorts at this year’s tournament, including Zambia and the Philippines, many joined England in adopting alternative colors. The number of nations whose uniforms feature white shorts decreased from 2019’s tournament, despite the number of participants expanding from 24 to 32. Notably, most of the teams that opted for white last time around switched color for 2023, including Canada, France, Nigeria and South Korea.

The move is part of a growing trend — and one not limited to soccer — aimed at tackling period anxiety among female athletes.

It comes after Ireland’s women’s rugby team swapped its white shorts for navy ones earlier this year and Wimbledon organizers relaxed their rules, allowing female competitors to wear dark-colored shorts under their all-white outfits for the first time. After England unveiled its new kits for the World Cup, forward Lauren Hemp told reporters the decision to switch from white shorts to blue was “a massive step in the right direction.”

“We can now feel comfortable when sometimes we might not have been if it was your time of the month,” she added. “It’s great to move away from the white shorts, not having that worry and focusing on the game.” Hemp plays in the English Women’s Super League for Manchester City, which in 2022 changed its uniform to exclude white shorts, in favor of burgundy ones, following feedback from players. (Manchester City’s men continue to wear the team’s traditional blue and white.)

https://www.cnn.com/style/wwc-2023-womens-soccer-white-shorts-intl-hnk/index.html

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