USA 2023 kits are big improvement over World Cup 2022 shirts

US Soccer and Nike have unveiled the new USA 2023 kits, to be worn by the women’s national team at the upcoming Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand this summer.

After the lackluster USA shirts for the men’s World Cup last fall, these give the Stars & Stripes a bit more style. But as has been the case for years now when it comes the US national teams’ kits, opinions are likely to be divided at best.

Per the official press release, input from the players plus “Nike designers’ inspiration from abstract expressionism, an international art movement that started in the 1940s in New York and shifted the art epicenter from Europe to the U.S., similar to what the USA team has done for women’s soccer” is what resulted in these designs.

The US women, of course, are four-time World Cup winners. And here’s what the defending champs will be sporting this year:

USWNT 2023 Home Kit

The 2023 USA home kit is mostly white, featuring paint splatters in different shades of blue strewn across the entire shirt. The press release seems to claim that “every single jersey is unique,” but all the photos the USSF provided seem to show identical paint spots regardless of player. A blank spot in the middle makes room for the shirt numbers. The ring neck collar is in blue, with no trim on the sleeves.

The four stars over the crest and Nike embellishments are rendered in gold to celebrate those four championships. Also in gold, on the inner collar, are the numbers 91, 99, 15 and 19, for the years of the World Cup wins. The vinyl crest has a subtle, smaller version of the paint splotch pattern in the background.

The shirt will be paired with blue shorts and white socks.

The new home kit is available now, and debuts on April 8th and 11th, when the USWNT hosts Ireland in Austin and St. Louis.

USA 2023 Away Kit

The new 2023 away kit will be worn by both the USWNT and USMNT. It’s all blue with red detail. Only the world champions badge on the women’s version breaks from the two-color treatment.

The shirt and shorts feature an abstract texture pattern throughout. Sleeve cuffs are in red and blue, with a zig-zag stripe pattern. The jagged, almost tiger stripe-like pattern is echoed on the socks, but here it’s in a two-tone blue.

The crest carries through the subtle paint splotch effect from the home top.

The bright red detailing on the blue base with an abstract pattern is reminiscent of the 2020/21 Nike England away shirt, but here in darker, bolder colors.

Reviewing the USA 2023 Kits

Aside from wearing white at home, the USSF and partners Nike still cannot, or will not, decide on a definitive “look” for the USA. While these may not be the return to beloved designs some fans have been clamoring for, it’s an improvement over the 2022 set.

The away top is the standout from this release. The bold red pops well against the blue, and the pattern on the socks is really well done. It would’ve actually be interesting to see that sock pattern on the entire uniform.

The home white shirts are different, but certainly nothing that stands out as a remarkable design. Don’t be surprised if before long these are looked back on as the “dalmatian kits.” Of course, should the USA add a 5th star above the crest in these this summer, opinions of the shirts could skyrocket.

Grades: Home C / Away B+

Both the home and away USA shirts are available via World Soccer Shop, and all other fine online shops.

What do you think of the new USA threads? Let us know below in the comments!