New Zealand women’s soccer team changes uniform amid period concerns

Sydney, Australia, Apr 5 (EFE).- The women’s soccer team of New Zealand, which will co-host the 2023 World Cup with neighbor Australia, is set to debut their new uniform, which will not include white colored shorts to address concerns expressed by players about periods.

For the first time, the Ford Football Ferns – as the New Zealand women’s team is called – will wear teal-blue shorts with a white shirt in a friendly match on Saturday as part of the global shift away from female athletes wearing white shorts.

The move has been welcomed by players.

“The new jersey is epic, it’s just epic. I also really, really love the fact that we have color in our jerseys which is a little bit different. That of blue color is an amazing change and even better the absence of white shorts now is fantastic for women with any kind of period anxiety. It’s always been something that women athletes, not just footballers, have had to deal with,” striker Hannah Wilkinson said in a statement from the country’s soccer association on Monday.

“In the end it just helps us focus more on performance and shows a recognition and appreciation of women’s health,” she added.

“Proud to be part of this movement,” midfielder Annalie Longo said on Instagram on Tuesday.

The new kit, which will make its debut in a match against Iceland, was unveiled on Monday along with a secondary all-black uniform, both of which go on sale from Wednesday.

Multinational Nike, which sponsors the New Zealand team and other women’s teams such as that of the United States and England – which also ended the use of white shorts -, will also offer an absorbent liner in the shorts to protect against period leaks.

Paula Hansen, New Zealand Football Women’s World Cup Legacy and Inclusion general manager, also praised the move.

“As part of our mahi to ensure the Women’s World Cup’s legacy continues beyond the tournament across the game, we continue to work to ensure that football is welcoming and inclusive to everyone who wants to participate at all levels,” she said.

The 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup will be held between July 20 and Aug. 20. EFE

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