The South Korea 2022 World Cup home kit has dropped – and it's possibly the shirt of the tournament.
20 years ago this year, the Koreans co-hosted the greatest show on Earth with Japan and ever since, the pair of them have set the bar extremely high for style. The Blue Samurai dropped a gorgeous home kit and a great away top to match a few weeks ago and with rumours of bold South Korea shirts, we've been eagerly anticipating this one.
Adidas and Puma have already released their World Cup kits, with the Swoosh now following – the Nike away shirt for the Red Devils has dropped, too. Almost all World Cup shirts have now been released ahead of November's tournament.
FFT's verdict
The South Korea 2022 World Cup home kit is going to be a cult favourite in Qatar
South Korea are extremely cool as a nation, whether we're talking their Netflix dramas or Son Heung-min. It's no surprise that in the two decades since they hosted the World Cup, they've released gorgeous shirts, including 2020's wavy pink/white home top and that stunning black/white tiger away strip.
Even the 2002 World Cup shirt with the line graphics over the base is iconic. That lush coral-red has become instantly synonymous with the nation – and this is another beautiful strip in a long line of classics.
The "tiger stripes" of the last away shirt are back – this time in a subtle graphic on the shoulders, while there's no white at all. Korea have gone red and black, leaning in on that Red Devils nickname.
The South Korea 2022 World Cup home and away kits (Image credit: Nike)
"Brash, bold and energetic, the South Korea home kit centres on the motif of Dokkaebi," Nike says of this one. "The fiery moniker represents the fierce mentality of a proud nation and is amplified by vibrant Global Red and a tiger-stripe sleeve graphic representing strength and power."
Get FourFourTwo Newsletter
The best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.
It's an absolute work of art, with the beautiful icon on the back of the neck.
The South Korea 2022 World Cup home kit (Image credit: Nike)
This is incredibly good: it's hard to see a fault. The World Cup wouldn't be the same without South Korea nowadays and their style is just one reason.
The Nike South Korea World Cup 2022 home shirt (Image credit: Nike)
Nike South Korea 2022 World Cup home shirt
Ticks every box of what we expect from a South Korea shirt
Our expert review:
Specifications
Sizes: S-3XL
Reasons to buy
+
Stunning colour
+
Pattern on the shoulders is great
+
Icon on the back of the neck is great
+
Wonderful badge
+
Great collar
Reasons to avoid
-
Some will miss the lack of white
Shirt info
What is the sizing like with the Nike South Korea 2022 World Cup home kit?
The sizing with all Nike football kits is natural enough for your size – though the cuffs and collar might be a little tight if you're looking for a slimmer fit.
What is the difference between the match and regular versions of the Nike South Korea 2022 World Cup home kit?
The match version of the shirt is the official jersey that the players will wear for matches. The only differences are minimal, usually in the material being slightly different and the badges and logos being woven into the shirt rather than printed on.
"This one pairs authentic design details with lightweight, quick-drying fabric to help keep the world's biggest football stars cool and comfortable on the pitch. This product is made from 100% recycled polyester fibres," Nike says.
"Nike Dri-FIT ADV technology combines moisture-wicking fabric with advanced engineering and features to help you stay dry and comfortable. Informed by athlete testing, open-hole fabric in high-heat zones helps you stay cool when the game heats up."
If you want to pay extra for that added quality, you can buy the authentic shirt here. In terms of design or feel though, the regular version of the top is perfectly good and just the same to the naked eye.
Thank you for reading 5 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Mark White has been at on FourFourTwo since joining in January 2020, first as a staff writer before becoming content editor in 2023. An encyclopedia of football shirts and boots knowledge – both past and present – Mark has also represented FFT at both FA Cup and League Cup finals (though didn't receive a winners' medal on either occasion) and has written pieces for the mag ranging on subjects from Bobby Robson's season at Barcelona to Robinho's career. He has written cover features for the mag on Mikel Arteta and Martin Odegaard, and is assisted by his cat, Rosie, who has interned for the brand since lockdown.
