Complete roster: 18 World Cup kits in danger of being unused in initial rounds

FIFA has confirmed the kit selections for the group stage of this summer's FIFA World Cup, with up to 18 national team jerseys potentially going unworn on the pitch. The 48 participating nations have collectively released 108 outfield kits, excluding goalkeeper uniforms, ahead of the tournament in the United States.

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A total of 87 outfield kits are guaranteed to be worn during the 72 group-stage matches, with every team having at least two kits, traditionally designated as home and away strips. Twelve countries have also introduced third kits as alternative options.

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FIFA has outlined which shirts each nation will wear in the group phase, leaving several designs unused unless teams progress to the knockout rounds and opt to wear them later in the competition. Most of the kits omitted from group-stage duty are away or third-choice shirts.

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Notably, Ghana and Uzbekistan will not wear their home kits in any of their three scheduled group matches, while several other nations will go through the group stage without using their away shirts. These teams include Australia, Austria, Belgium, Curacao, DR Congo, Iran, Ivory Coast, Japan, Netherlands, Portugal, Senegal, and South Africa.

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Ecuador, Haiti, Iraq, and Jordan will not use their third kits during the opening phase of the tournament, according to the confirmed kit selections. In contrast, some countries will showcase their full range of outfield kits during the group stage.

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Canada, Cape Verde, Mexico, and Panama are all set to wear three different shirts across their three group-stage fixtures. England and Scotland, who have each released two kits for the tournament, will wear both of their shirts during the group stage.

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Scotland will also use three different goalkeeper kits in matches against Haiti, Morocco, and Brazil, adding to the variety of kits on display. The fate of the unused jerseys remains uncertain, dependent on how far their respective teams progress once the knockout stages begin.

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For now, several newly released designs appear destined to spend the opening phase of the World Cup on the sidelines, with their potential use hanging in the balance. The tournament's group stage will feature a total of 72 matches, with 87 outfield kits guaranteed to make an appearance.