FIFA will launch its fashion collection

It is a well-known fact that there is a very close relationship between football and fashion, and this is confirmed by the rumors that have surfaced today on Business of Fashion. According to the publication, the FIFA, the global governing body of football, will launch its first ready-to-wear collection. There are currently no further details, except that it will be created through a licensing agreement with the New York fashion platform VFiles. The clothing line, which includes both men's and women's pieces, will be launched under the brand FIFA 1904 - named after the year of the organization's founding - and is set to be released in the spring of 2025.

The entrance of FIFA into the fashion world is not a coincidence, but rather comes at a time when various clubs are increasingly adopting a new approach to their aesthetic profile. This includes hiring fashion experts as internal creative directors or collaborating with designers and fashion brands to create collections. For example, VFiles CEO Leonardo Lawson was previously the president of the now-defunct YZY Gap line. And FIFA President Gianni Infantino has never hidden his desire to create a younger, cooler, and more in-tune federation with the tastes and trends of Gen Z. However, not all of his efforts have avoided being cringe-worthy, such as when he presented the dates and stadiums for the highly anticipated 2026 World Cup on live TV while wearing a Madison hooded blazer from Boggi Milano and custom adidas Stan Smiths.

"The world of football has a certain style, from executives to players, and FIFA 1904 meets the need for chic, elegant, and versatile clothing that caters to their professional lifestyles," said VFiles co-founder Julie Anne Quay in a statement to BoF (Quay is also a shareholder of the English football team Barnsley FC). "This will inspire the creation, style, look, and feel of the FIFA 1904 collection." It is certainly an ambitious project in line with the times, but what will be the appeal of a FIFA branded lifestyle line?