Argentina to wear blue away kit against England in World Cup

World Cup holders Argentina will wear their navy blue away kit when they face England in the semi-finals of the World Cup in Atlanta on Wednesday. England will don their traditional all-white home kit for the match at the Atlanta Stadium, which kicks off at 20:00 BST and will be broadcast live on the BBC.

Kit choice and superstition

Argentina has worn the darker kit only once during the tournament so far, in their 3-1 group-stage victory against Jordan. While the decision could be driven by kit regulations to avoid a color clash, media in Argentina have suggested a superstitious element: the blue kit is associated with historic World Cup wins over England. In the 1986 quarter-finals, Argentina defeated England 2-1, a match famous for Diego Maradona's 'Hand of God' goal. They also eliminated England in the round of 16 at the 1998 World Cup in France, winning on penalties after a 2-2 draw.

Previous kit encounters

The two teams have a history of kit-related decisions. In their 2002 group-stage match in Japan, England wore red while Argentina sported their traditional striped kit, with England winning 1-0. FIFA's preference is for teams to wear their first-choice colors, but if a potential clash arises, the governing body follows a protocol to ensure acceptable color contrast. FIFA also prioritizes a dark-kit versus light-kit contrast to accommodate fans with color vision deficiency.

Road to the semi-finals

England secured their semi-final spot with a 2-1 extra-time victory against Norway on Saturday. Argentina advanced on Sunday with a dramatic 3-1 extra-time win over 10-man Switzerland. The match promises to be a tightly contested encounter between two footballing powerhouses.