The Brazilian national soccer team is reported to be considering introducing a red uniform instead of the traditional blue away jersey for the 2026 North American World Cup, causing a stir among local soccer fans as well as in the political arena.
On the 1st (local time), according to Bloomberg News and others, the soccer uniform specialty site "Footy Headlines" first reported on the 28th that the Brazilian national team might adopt a red uniform. In response, local conservative factions, especially supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro, have strongly opposed this, calling it a "political provocation."
The Brazilian national team has traditionally used two uniform sets reflecting the colors of the national flag: yellow tops with green bottoms and blue tops with white bottoms. However, images released by Footy Headlines show that the new uniform top combines black with red sleeves and chest. Red represents the Workers' Party (PT), led by current Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
As the controversy escalated, the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) immediately took action to quell the issue. The CBF stated, "The recently released images of the uniform are not official" and added, "The Brazilian national team's uniform will use the colors of the national flag: green, yellow, blue, and white." The uniform manufacturer Nike also stated, "We do not comment on rumors and speculation."
Nevertheless, the controversy does not seem to be settling down, largely because the 2026 World Cup is scheduled to take place just before the Brazilian presidential elections. As political tensions peak between the conservative former President Bolsonaro and the progressive factions, led by President Lula, the uniform color debate appears to act as a spark for political conflict.
Flávio Bolsonaro, the son of former President Bolsonaro and a senator, stated, "The red uniform is an insult to the pride of the people" and asserted, "It cannot be tolerated at all." Conservative senator Claitinyu Azevedo noted that he would investigate the CBF president in Congress.
Public response has been chilly. According to Brazilian polling agency Quaest, about 90% of the social media (SNS) reactions to the red uniform report were negative.
Members of the ruling party also joined in the criticism. Randolph Rodrigues, the leader of the Senate for Lula's administration, stated, "The national team uniform should follow the national identity, not political ideology," and remarked, "Uniform colors other than those of the national flag cannot be justified."
The origin of this controversy dates back to just after the 2022 presidential election. During the street protests by Bolsonaro supporters that occurred right after Lula was elected, yellow and green uniforms were widely used, effectively establishing those uniforms as a political symbol of the right. According to a survey conducted by the Brazilian media Metropol, 1 in 4 Brazilians responded that they would not wear those uniforms for political reasons.
In response, the CBF made efforts to eliminate political connotations from soccer uniforms, such as conducting a video campaign, but Bloomberg News reported that it did not yield significant results.