Why England are wearing blue rather than white in Women's World Cup final

Inbetween screaming for joy and hugging your mates in ecstasy as England triumphed over Australia on Wednesday, you might have been wondering why the Lionesses swapped their usual white and navy blue kit for a light blue ensemble.

You may well be asking yourself the same question tomorrow as the side takes on Spain in a bid to become the first English side to take home the World Cup trophy in 57 years - no pressure, by the way.

The thought of it finally coming home has sent the nation into a frenzy. Bad news though, folks - if we win we won’t be getting an extra Bank Holiday.

But what’s the reason behind the change of kit?

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Well, it turns out it’s all down to the Lionesses’ shorts clashing with the Spanish side, who also wear navy shorts.

For tomorrow’s final, Spain apparently got to pick first, and opted to wear their home kit, meaning England had to change it up.

It was the same story for the semi-final. FIFA makes sure there is a sufficient contrast in opposing team's kits so fans who are colour-blind don’t get confused, and they decided that the Matildas' gold top and dark green shorts versus the Lionesses light blue kit provided the best contrast.

The Lionesses haven’t always worn navy blue shorts though.

Daniela Porcelli/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images

They previously wore all white, but made the switch earlier this year after players such as Beth Mead and Lucy Parker said navy shorts would make them feel more comfortable if they were playing while on their period.

Mead said: “It is very nice to have an all-white kit but sometimes it's not practical when it's the time of the month.”

A similar change recently took place in tennis, where strict rules about all-white clothing were relaxed to allow women to wear different coloured underwear.

British star Heather Watson was among those celebrating the change, saying it makes a real difference.

She said: "I speak openly about my period, I don't think it's a taboo subject and I would love for people to talk about it more.

Stephanie Meek - CameraSport via Getty Images

"Last year I went on the pill to stop myself bleeding because I knew I had to wear white undershorts and I didn't want any embarrassment.

"We're running around sweating, doing the splits on court. This year I knew my period was going to be during Wimbledon again so I'm very happy I won't have to do the same thing as last year."

So there you have it, if your mates ask why the Lionesses have changed their kit, you now have the answer.

Though I reckon the colour of England’s kit won’t be the main thing on people’s minds during a sure-to-be nail-biting World Cup final.

Topics: World Cup, Sport, Football

Simon Fearn

Simon is a sub-editor at LADbible. He studied journalism at City, University of London, and has written for Digital Spy, The Stage and The Drinks Business. He's a big fan of low budget horror films, regular caffeine hits and extended arguments about Oxford commas. You can contact Simon at [email protected].

@smffearn