Why I Am Excited About the Romania Football Shirt 2025–2026
In January 2024, the Romanian Football Federation (FRF) reached out to me with an incredible project: they wanted fresh design ideas for the home shirt to be used in the World Cup 2026 European Qualifiers.
At the time, Joma, the official kit supplier, had already presented their own concepts. However, the FRF felt these designs lacked the spirit and identity they were looking for. As a result, they invited several Romanian designers, including me, to reimagine the home shirt based on their detailed project brief.
What began as a proposal for the home kit quickly evolved into something much larger — I ended up designing not only the home shirt but also the away kit, third kit, training gear, and even the pre-match apparel. These designs are scheduled to launch in March 2025, and I can’t wait for the world to see them.
Below, I’ll share the personal reasons why this release means so much to me.
1. EA SPORTS FC™ 25 or 26
The idea keeps bouncing around in my head, like a ball waiting to be volleyed into the net. What if? What if the shirt I designed for the Romanian national team makes it into EA SPORTS FC 2026? Or even FC2025 if they will give a jersey update sometime before September.
I can’t help imagining the possibility. The shirt I designed, the one set to debut on the real pitch in March 2025, rendered in stunning digital detail for gamers around the world. It’s the kind of thing you don’t even dare to dream about when you first pick up a pencil to sketch.
Every time I think about it, I can’t help but smile. I picture booting up the game next year and scrolling through the kits, my heart racing as I search for it — the bold stripes, the colors steeped in Romanian pride, the details I obsessed over for weeks. It’s not just about seeing it in the game; it’s about knowing that something I created could inspire others, whether they’re customizing their team or scoring the winning goal with their favorite players.
There’s no guarantee, of course. Maybe it won’t happen. Maybe EA SPORTS won’t include it. But the thought of the possibility — that tiny sliver of hope — is enough to keep me excited. For now, I’ll keep dreaming, because you never know when something you’ve created might take on a life of its own.
2. World Cup
When I first started designing the shirts for the Romanian national team, I couldn’t help but imagine the bigger picture. Yes, the World Cup 2026 qualifiers were the immediate goal, but the thought of these kits potentially being worn on football’s grandest stage — the World Cup in the USA, Mexico, and Canada — fills me with an indescribable excitement.
The World Cup is more than just a tournament; it’s a global celebration of football, culture, and identity. To think that something I created might represent Romania on pitches in iconic stadiums across North America is overwhelming. The idea of fans from around the world seeing our players step out in a design that tells a story of pride, history, and modernity gives me chills.
For me, it’s not just about the aesthetics — it’s about the emotions these shirts will carry. Players will battle on the pitch with their hearts, wearing something that symbolizes their nation. Fans will wear these kits in the stands, on the streets, and at home, cheering their team with unmatched passion. And somewhere in the sea of Romanian red, yellow, and blue, my work will be right there, woven into those unforgettable moments. I experienced a bit of this in 2024, in Germany at the Euro’s. Seeing people wearing the shirts with the font I co-designed for the match shirts.
The prospect of the shirts appearing in such a monumental tournament inspires me to dream even bigger. Every time I imagine seeing the kit on the World Cup stage, I’m reminded of why I started this journey — to share my passion for football and design with the world. And in 2026, that dream might just become a reality.
Now it is up to the players to get us there and then an executive decision if a new shirt will be needed for the World Cup or go with the one used in the qualifiers.
3. Feedback
One of the things I’m most excited about as we approach the release of the Romania football shirts is the inevitable buzz they’ll create in the international football community. Sites like Footy Headlines and Classic Football Shirts, with their dedicated audiences of kit enthusiasts, will no doubt weigh in on the design. The thought of seeing my work featured in these iconic spaces is both exhilarating and nerve-wracking.
For years, I’ve been one of those fans, eagerly refreshing Footy Headlines for leaks and news about the latest kit drops, or scrolling through Classic Football Shirts to admire iconic designs from the past. To think that something I’ve created might now be on those pages is surreal.
Of course, with recognition comes criticism, and I’m bracing myself for that, too. Football kits are incredibly personal for fans — they’re tied to national identity, tradition, and nostalgia. Some will love the design and applaud the way it represents Romania; others might dissect every stripe, color choice, or detail, saying what they would have done differently.
But that’s what makes it exciting. Whether it’s praise or critique, the fact that people around the world are talking about the shirt means it’s making an impact. It’s part of the dialogue, the culture of football design, and that’s all I could ever hope for as a creator.
I imagine reading headlines like “Romania’s Bold 2025 Home Shirt: A Modern Classic?” or even “Why Romania’s 2025 Kit Misses the Mark.” Either way, knowing that fans, collectors, and critics are engaging with something I designed will be a career-defining moment.
At the end of the day, football shirts are about more than just fashion — they’re about sparking conversation, evoking emotions, and bringing fans together. And whether people love it or critique it, I’ll be proud to have contributed to that dialogue.
4. EURO Under 21
As June 2025 approaches, my excitement grows by the day. The European Football Under-21 Championship in Slovakia will be the first big tournament where the Romania shirts I designed will take the stage. I’ll be there in person, bought my tickets, watching our young talents step onto the pitch, proudly wearing kits that started as sketches on my desk.
Romania has a strong history in these tournaments. The under-21 team has consistently performed well, showing the world the future of Romanian football. The thought of being in the stands, surrounded by fellow Romanian fans, all clad in the shirts I helped create, is a dream come true. The chants, the energy, the moments of magic on the field — it’s everything I’ve imagined since I first began this journey.
The U-21 Euros became special for Romanians in recent years. It’s a tournament filled with promise and passion, where future stars emerge and unforgettable memories are made. To know that the shirts I designed will be part of those memories is overwhelming. I can already see the highlights: a thunderous goal, the players celebrating together, the vibrant colors of the kits shining under the floodlights.
Attending Romania’s matches will be a deeply personal experience. I’ll be watching not just as a fan but as someone who contributed to the identity the team will carry. Seeing the shirts in action — how they move, how they look against the backdrop of the Slovakian summer, how the fans embrace them — will be the culmination of years of effort, passion, and love for both football and design.
And who knows? Maybe Romania will go on another deep run, adding another chapter to our proud U-21 history. If that happens, knowing my shirts were part of that story will be a core memory.
5. A Shirt That Travels the World
One of the most thrilling parts of designing the Romanian football shirt is imagining where it might end up — not just on the pitch, but in moments far beyond football. Romania has a special tradition: when international superstars perform concerts here, they often wear the national football shirt on stage as a gesture of affection for the country and its fans. The thought of my design becoming part of those iconic moments sends shivers down my spine.
Picture this: a global pop sensation like Dua Lipa or Ed Sheeran, standing under the spotlight in Bucharest’s National Arena, wearing the shirt I designed. The crowd roars as they connect not just through music, but through a symbol of national pride. The bold stripes, the vibrant colors, and the subtle details I poured into the design become part of a shared celebration between the artist and their Romanian fans. It’s a moment of connection, and my work plays a small but significant role in it.
But it doesn’t stop there. Football is universal, and the tradition of shirt exchanges after matches is one of its most beautiful rituals. Imagine a world-class player — a Messi, a Mbappé, or a Haaland — holding up the Romanian shirt after a friendly, taking selfies with it, and sharing those photos with millions of followers. The idea that my design could travel the globe, appearing on Instagram stories and news feeds, representing Romania to an audience that might never have otherwise looked closely at our national team, is simply incredible.
These moments transcend sport. They show how a football shirt isn’t just a piece of clothing — it’s a symbol, a bridge that connects people across cultures and continents. Whether it’s on stage during a concert, or in the hands of a global football star, knowing that something I created could play a part in these stories fills me with pride and excitement.
It’s humbling to think that this shirt might become a piece of Romania’s story — not just in football, but in the hearts of those who see it and wear it around the world. And for that, I can’t wait to see where it ends up next.
My collaboration with the Romanian Football Federation (FRF) for the national team’s shirt design began in January 2024 and concluded in May 2024, after UEFA officially approved the kits. During this period, I dedicated approximately 100 working hours to the project.
As compensation, I requested two of my designed shirts and tickets to the first home games for the World Cup qualifiers — a fitting reward for a project driven by passion and pride for Romanian football.
I post stories about Romania match worn shirts on Instagram. If you want to get in touch with me you can find me there as onromanianfootball:
https://www.instagram.com/onromanianfootball/
