It’s officially a very fashionable World Cup summer.

The matches may be happening on the pitch, but some of the most interesting competition is taking place off it. From luxury houses dressing national teams to streetwear brands releasing football-inspired capsules and athletes arriving in carefully curated looks, the 2026 FIFA World Cup fashion has all eyes on it, and fashion brands across the globe are getting in on the excitement too. This year's World Cup is becoming a playground for fashion lovers looking for more than a replica jersey.

One of the tournament's standout style moments came courtesy of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Returning to the World Cup for the first time in more than fifty years, the team arrived in custom leopard-inspired suits designed by Alvin Junior Mak, creative director of JmakxParis.

Drawing inspiration from the legacy of the country's iconic 1974 "Leopards" squad and the rich tradition of Congolese sape culture, the black silk crepe suits featured striking leopard detailing that quickly captured global attention online. The look transformed pre-match dressing into a celebration of heritage, craftsmanship, and national pride, while introducing many football fans to one of the most exciting emerging names in African luxury fashion.

Spain is also bringing high fashion to the tournament thanks to a new partnership with Loewe. Earlier this year, the Spanish luxury house was announced as the official formalwear partner of Spain's men's and women's national teams through 2030.

The partnership sees players travelling in custom Loewe tailoring, footwear, and leather goods, with garments crafted in the brand's workshops. Asides the suits themselves, the collaboration feels like a fitting union between one of Spain's most recognizable fashion houses and one of its most celebrated sporting institutions.

France, meanwhile, has enlisted one of fashion's favourite designers. Simon Porte Jacquemus partnered with Nike and the French Football Federation on a lifestyle collection released alongside France's World Cup campaign. Blending sport and everyday dressing, the collection continues Jacquemus' growing relationship with athletic wear while giving supporters a more fashion-forward way to celebrate the tournament.

Nike, as expected, has gone all-in on football culture this summer, rolling out a series of collaborations that move away from the pitch and into the world of fashion and streetwear.

For England, the sportswear giant teamed up with Palace Skateboards on a retro-inspired collection that merges football nostalgia with the London label's signature irreverence. Across the Atlantic, Nike also partnered with the Virgil Abloh Archive on a varsity-inspired capsule collection celebrating the late designer's enduring influence on football culture and contemporary sportswear.

Mexico's World Cup wardrobe has received a designer touch too. Adidas joined forces with Willy Chavarria on a collection of tracksuits, footwear, rugby tops, and shorts that blend football heritage with the designer's distinctive streetwear sensibility. Known for exploring themes of identity and community through fashion, Chavarria's take on football merch feels particularly timely.

Additionally, the NFL entered the football conversation with a limited-edition collection of FIFA World Cup-inspired jerseys developed in partnership with Fanatics. The crossover collection combines American football silhouettes with national football iconography, featuring designs inspired by England, France, and Australia. The result is a playful reminder that football culture now reaches further away from the sport itself.

Streetwear favourite Corteiz has also embraced the tournament spirit. The London-based brand partnered with World Cup Culture on a capsule inspired by eleven participating nations, further highlighting how football has become one of the defining visual influences in contemporary youth culture.

Perhaps that's what makes this year's tournament feel so fun. The World Cup has always been about bringing countries together, but increasingly it is bringing together different corners of fashion too. Luxury houses, sportswear giants, emerging designers, and streetwear labels are all finding new ways to celebrate the game through clothing.

Whether it's DR Congo's viral leopard suits, Spain's Loewe tailoring, or a football-inspired capsule from your favourite streetwear brand, the World Cup has become as much a style spectacle as a sporting one.

For fashion lovers, that's enough reason to tune in.