With the 2024 Olympics football tournament underway since this afternoon, we have noticed some significant changes in the kits, particularly those from Adidas.
Adidas 2024 Olympics Kits - Key Differences to Regular Kits
The Argentina and Spain kits, designed by Adidas and the first to be debuted, have significant differences compared to retail versions and those used in Copa America and Euro 2024. The other Adidas kits will have the same changes, as these changes are due to Olympic regulations by the IOC.
Absence of 3 Stripes:
As per Olympic regulations, kits cannot feature large trademarks like the iconic Adidas 3 stripes on the sleeves. This is not new, as the Olympics have always mandated a sponsorless look with only one! manufacturer logo allowed on the whole shirt.
The IOC also only allows one manufacturer technology identifier, so Adidas' kits only have the Heat.Rry branding (and not the white and gold authentic badge on the lower right).
Reduced Logo Size:
More interestingly, especially for insiders, is that Adidas has had to reduce the size of its logo for the Olympics. This reduction is due to different calculation methods used by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and FIFA for logo sizes.
IOC vs. FIFA Calculations: Both the IOC and FIFA permit a logo size for the manufacturer of 20 cm². However, they measure it differently. The IOC counts the large rectangle that the Adidas logo forms when you use the most swirling parts of the logo, while FIFA measures just the left half of the logo. This discrepancy gives Adidas an advantage in FIFA-regulated events but results in a much smaller logo in the Olympics.
It will be interesting to see if brands like Nike will rule against FIFA's measurement methods, as they provide Adidas an unfair advantage. Nike's Swoosh is considered a large rectangle, while Adidas' logo is only half a triangle - it makes no sense.
Smaller Crests:
The team crests on the kits are also notably smaller for the Olympics. The IOC requires crests to be no larger than 25 cm², compared to FIFA's allowance of up to 100 cm².
Impact and Reactions
These changes have resulted in kits that look quite different from what fans are accustomed to. The reduced logo size and absence of the 3 stripes make the Adidas kits less instantly recognizable, emphasizing the logos and crests' compliance with Olympic regulations.
For Nike kits, changes are way smaller. The actual only difference is the crest.
France 2024 Olympics Kit Edition Revealed
What do you think of the look of Adidas' Olympic kits? Let us know in the moments below.
Resources
Identifications on NOC Team Apparel