Score style point with this football inspired fashion

Saturday, 13 June 2026

There’s plenty to like in footie-inspired fashion.

People going mad for football obviously isn’t a new thing. There’s a carving on an Ancient Greek vase depicting a man balancing a ball on his thigh. Around the second and third centuries BC there was a Chinese military exercise called cuju, in which people had to keep a ball in the air and kick it through a hoop.

Zambesi would do a great job of designing our nation’s football kit, says Georgie Wright. Just look at this jacket!

Early versions in England saw neighbouring towns clash in games of “mob football”, which apparently had something to do with animal bladders.

And now? Now we’ve got everyone you know who lives in London suddenly morphing into an Arsenal fan to climb lamp posts on streets sardined with drunk Brits. We’ve got Auckland FC winning NZ’s first A-League title.

This Samba sneaker gets its name in celebration of the 1950 Fifa World Cup taking place in Brazil.

If you want to go all the way with this footie theme grab an actual football as the ultimate accessory.

Lest we forget the best team in this country (up the Phoenix, I’m not biased), we’ve got the world’s hottest new football star in Phoenix player and All White Tim Payne – whose Instagram follower count shot from 4715 to over 1 million in 48 hours when an Argentine content creator Valen Scarsini cited him as the (then) “least known” footballer in the Fifa World Cup, asking: “What if there was a player who united us all, a footballer we all support regardless of their nationality?”.

Speaking of – the All Whites play their first game in said World Cup taking place on Tuesday.

But enough about sport! This is a fashion column, not ESPN! Well look, it turns out the two can go hand in hand, because football kit is very chic – pop star Olivia Rodrigo recently partnered with Barcelona FC on a jersey, designer Jacquemus has just teamed up with the French Football Federation and Loewe will be dressing the Spanish team off the pitch. So in celebration of the All Whites and other football related events, here’s some cool footy fever- adjacent fashion.

These chic socks are a stylish iteration of football’s famous kneehighs.

Tim Payne Wellington Phoenix Jersey, $100

Funnily enough, the only Phoenix jersey not on sale right now.

Auckland FC jacket,$140

It feels illegal to include merch from a team that I don’t support, but in the interest of balanced journalism – here you go, Aucklanders.

Francie merino knee-high socks,$54

A chic (and warm) iteration of football’s famous kneehighs. Shinpads not included.

All Whites scarf,$45

For support’s sake, we had to include some All Whites merch – but also, petition for Zambesi to start designing our nation’s football kit…

Zambesi jacket,$990

See? Wouldn’t they do a great job?

Bape jersey,$510, from Subtype

Japan’s coolest streetwear label takes on soccer.

Adidas Samba shoes,$200

Originally designed to help football players get traction on icy fields, this sneaker – released in 1950 – is named after the Brazilian dance, in celebration of the 1950 Fifa World Cup taking place in Brazil. It’s now one of the brand’s most popular styles.

Umbro soccer ball,$60, from Rebel Sport

May I highly recommend my favourite pastime of getting swept up in an international sporting tournament, deciding said sport is what your life’s been missing, playing it precisely two times then never touching it again.

The Loose Company top,$215, from Good as Gold

Good top this.

Wiixi headband,$65

A sweatband but make it cashmere.

Snow Peak water bottle,$295, from Coffee Outdoors

Watching sport is thirsty work.