They will be used for the first time on Thursday – in the international match against Brazil at Wembley. The blue shorts have long been on the wish list of England footballers.
The English Football Association FA did not officially give a reason for the color change. But last year striker Beth Mead said the team had been in talks with outfitter Nike about a possible change because white shorts just weren’t practical on certain days of the month. Now the wish of the European champions has come true, and the new sets will be presented to the general public at the World Championships in Australia and New Zealand.
Top English clubs and the Wimbledon tennis tournament have also changed outfits and rules
In the future, the home outfit will consist of a white shirt and dark blue shorts, while the away version will have both shirt and shorts in a lighter blue. Manchester City and West Brom women’s teams had previously ditched their white shorts for the same reason – and are now playing in dark red and dark blue respectively.
In Wimbledon, too, progress takes precedence over tradition – at the tennis tournament in London this year, for the first time, women are allowed to wear dark shorts under the white tennis dress.