Germany wore the shirt of their women’s team as they drew 1-1 with England in the Nations League this week.
The well-intentioned move was to promote Euro 2022, which is being held in England from July 6th to 31st. But it could end up with Germany receiving a fine from UEFA.
This is because the shirt should have been modified to follow governing body’s equipment regulations.
The women’s shirt features two stars to represent the two World Cup titles in 2003 and 2007, but the men’s team should wear a shirt with four stars to represent the World Cups won in 1954, 1974, 1990 and 2014.
According to UEFA’s equipment regulations, men and women’s teams are not allowed to interchange stars.
Article 33 states: “All of an association’s men’s or women’s representative teams may wear one star on their playing attire for each FIFA World Cup title won by the association’s corresponding (i.e. men’s or women’s) senior national team.”
Belgium and Spain also wore their women’s team kit during Nations League matches, but the latter altered their shirt to include the star gained at the 2010 World Cup.
Germany could now be fined for breaking UEFA regulations, but this would likely be heavily criticised due to the reason the men’s team was wearing the women’s team kit.
Nick Craggs, the CEO of Adidas Football, explained the intention behind the kit swap was “a tribute to the great work their teammates are doing.”
Euro 2022 officially gets underway next month as hosts England take on Austria at Old Trafford.
The competition was initially scheduled to be held in 2021 but was pushed back as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
It will be the second time the tournament features 16 teams, with Germany, Spain and Belgium joined by Austria, Norway, Northern Ireland, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Portugal, Switzerland, France, Italy, Iceland, hosts England and defending champion Netherlands.
Find out more about the tournament here.
