FIFA, football’s global governing body, will launch its debut ready-to-wear collection under a licensing agreement with New York-based fashion platform VFiles, according to the organisation.
The apparel line, which comprises both men’s and womenswear, will be released under the brand FIFA 1904 — named after the year the organisation was founded — and is set to launch in spring 2025.
FIFA’s entry into fashion comes as sports organisations increasingly take a more considered approach to their merch, hiring fashion experts as in-house creative directors or leaning on seasoned designers or executives for collaborations. VFiles co-founder and chief executive Leonardo Lawson, for example, is the former president of the erstwhile YZY Gap line.
“There is a certain style in football from the executives to the players and FIFA 1904 covers the need for aspirational chic, stylish, and versatile clothing that caters to the demands of their professional lifestyles,” said VFiles co-founder Julie Anne Quay in a statement (Quay is also a shareholder in English football team Barnsley FC). “This will inspire the creation, style, look, and feel of the FIFA 1904 collection.”
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