Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) have been granted permission by USA sports kit manufacturing giants, Nike to have a specially amended design of the Super Eagles’ jersey for the female squad, Super Falcons at this year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup in France.
Sports247.ng gathered that the development means the Falcons will be one of only four teams that Nike has allowed to have jerseys similar to that of their male compatriots, while all other squads going to France 2019 will don female-friendly unique garbs for the competition.
This much was confirmed by Nike, when the kit company revealed home and away jerseys for 14 of the 24 teams that will be playing for glory in the eighth edition of the Female Mundial this summer.
Nike revealed the kits for Nigeria, England, Brazil, France and 2015 winners, USA at a global launch event in Paris, with some of the world’s most recognizable female footballers and athletes in attendance.
Among them were Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles, British sprinter Dina-Asher Smith and two-time Grand Slam tennis champion Li Na.
Nike officials proudly disclosed that it is the first time ever that national team kits have been designed specially and exclusively for women, who have in the past worn the same attire as their male counterparts.
Nigeria, Chile, Korea and South Africa requested for their kits to have the same design as the ones for their male squad, Nike disclosed that the fit has been amended specially for women, while Norway’s home jersey now includes a snowflake pattern made up of the colours of the country’s flag.
Furthermore, USA’s kits include a nod to all 50 states, France’s away shirt carries a hexadot pattern which pays homage to the country’s nickname ‘l’hexagone’ and Australia’s jersey is greatly influenced by the street art of Melbourne, which has been met with widespread positive appeal Down Under.
Nike enthused that Monday’s unveiling in Paris highlighted the growing momentum excitement surrounding women’s football, and the hype will only intensify at this summer’s FIFA Women’s World Cup, which is due to begin when France take on Korea at Parc des Prince on June 7.
