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For decades, different hues of pink have been the most favourite for women. But have we ever stopped and thought why? Pink can be a favorite of men as well, isn't it? That's what the 2026 FIFA World Cup has proven this time. The color, electric fuchsia , is dominating football. Breaking all the stereotypes around the pretty color, the sport embraced the deep shade of pink. But why?

Any person who is a fashion enthusiast and also an England fan, while watching the World Cup last week, would have been happy seeing the attack reaching the Croatian end.

But it has some other layers. They could not ignore the glimpse of goalkeeper Dominik Livaković in hot pink, a shade fast becoming a visual signature this tournament. Forget Barbie pink; welcome to the World Cup’s hot pink summer.

As GQ recently observed as well. “Everywhere you look, the boots are pink: fluoro pink, hot pink, fuchsia pink. Once you notice it, you can’t unsee it. Players are wearing pink boots in brands including Nike, Adidas, Puma and New Balance as reported by The Guardian.

As GQ reported, every major sportswear brand has launched a tournament collection which revolves around some variation of the color.

Nike unveiled its ‘Breakout Pack’ in late May. Adidas followed with the ‘Road to Glory Pack’ just days before kick-off. Puma arrived with its ‘Showtime Pack’, while New Balance rolled out the ‘Pure Ambition Pack’. Different names. Different tech. Basically the same shade of blinding pink. So, what the hell's going on?

“When you put a color like that in a very competitive environment, it naturally creates a very interesting contrast,” one New Balance designer told GQ.

“It's vibrant and increases visibility, standing out easily from TV broadcasts. Similar to when all-white football boots became popular. Neon colors for performance models are becoming cool again.”

If one can reminisce, the Barbiecore in 2023, pushed the bright pink as the face of fashion. The lead of womenswear, Sara Maggioni, said “the shade at the World Cup is the latest example of its enduring cultural power. Pink probably is one of the most influential color stories of the past decade.”

According to her, the inclusion of the bright pink at the World Cup makes sense as there are brands who are well-versed with changes in football fandom.

“A lot of young people probably watch matches on their phones and so the color [which is easily seen] does your branding,” she said. This is emphasized by the fact it contrasts well against the green of the grass.

On the other hand, Andrew Groves who is a professor of menswear systems at Westminster University, argues that football’s relationship with the color pink can be traced back much earlier.

“The color only became loaded later, first through wider consumer culture and then through a football culture that became increasingly anxious about masculinity, tradition and what male players were supposed to look like,” he said.

With the color pink on the rise in football, the men's World Cup is opening new realms and breaking entrenched gender based stereotypes regarding the color pink, besides entertainment.