1. Who makes the World Cup 2026 sleeve badges?

The badges are produced by Avery Dennison, the company that has supplied player names, numbers and sleeve badges across top-level football for years.

2. Can fans buy the gold patches?

No, the gold and standard badges are restricted to the national teams and a short list of approved retailers, so they are not sold to the public on their own.

3. Do the host nations wear a special badge?

No, the host nations wear the standard black-and-white badge, because none of the three hosts has won the World Cup and the gold version is only for past winners.

4. Are the patches on replica shirts the same as the match versions?

Not always, as some replica shirts sold in shops leave certain patches off or print them differently from the versions worn on the pitch.

5. Why do the player patches keep falling off?

Because they are applied like loose stickers so they can be peeled off for trading cards after the match, and several have proved too loose, coming away mid-game.

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World Cup 2026 Jersey Patches: Why Some Teams Wear Gold

Seven former champions wear a gold tournament badge on the right sleeve. Argentina, as holders, add a second. What the new World Cup 2026 badges mean.

EAEapen AlexanderUpdated 22 June 2026/7 min read

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World Cup 2026 Jersey Patches: Why Some Teams Wear Gold

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Written by

Eapen Alexander

I am a football writer, content chief and marketing executive at 1BoxOffice, covering the major European, South American leagues, and International Football with total objectivity on everything bar the case for Messi.