FIFA World Cup 2026: Argentina get permission from apex governing body for ‘special’ weapon

Argentina has been granted a special request by FIFA to wear their alternative blue kit for the World Cup 2026 semi-final against England in Atlanta. Despite technically being designated as the home team for the match, Argentina explicitly asked to switch away from their traditional sky-blue-and-white stripes, a move that FIFA has officially approved.

For superstitious football fans and historians, this development gives England plenty of reason to worry. The two nations are renewing one of international football’s biggest rivalries on the World Cup stage for the first time in 24 years.

While England holds the overall advantage with three wins out of their five previous World Cup meetings, Argentina’s most iconic victories in this fixture came while wearing the exact same color.

Also Read: FIFA World Cup 2026 Semifinal: England need to stay compact and avoid dropping too deep vs Argentina, feels Robbie Fowler

During the 1986 World Cup quarter-final in Mexico, Diego Maradona scored both his infamous “Hand of God” goal and the spectacular “Goal of the Century” wearing the blue away shirt to secure a 2-1 win. Twelve years later, at the 1998 World Cup in France, a blue-clad Argentina knocked England out in the Round of 16 following a dramatic penalty shootout.

On the other hand, whenever Argentina wore their traditional home stripes against the Three Lions at a World Cup, they suffered defeats in both 1966 and 2002.

England will line up in their classic all-white kit for the semi-final, which mirrors the look they wore during that painful 1998 exit.

Supporters have highlighted several other eerie historical parallels between the 2026 tournament and Argentina’s past successful runs. Just like in 1986 and 1998, Argentina advanced through the group stage this year with a perfect winning record. Furthermore, in those previous tournaments, an Argentine defender scored a crucial goal just before they faced England. In the current 2026 campaign, defenders Lisandro Martinez and Cristian Romero have both found the back of the net during the knockout rounds.

While Argentina lifted their last World Cup trophy in Qatar wearing their traditional stripes, their choice to swap jerseys for this semi-final shows a clear nod to history. England will have to overcome both Lionel Messi’s side and these haunting historical coincidences in Atlanta to reach the final.