On Wednesday evening, during the round of 16 matches at the World Cup, Belgium and Senegal will not be wearing red and green as originally planned.
The Red Devils will wear their so-called Magritte shirt for the first time, and Senegal will play entirely in green.
Although the Belgian kit, with light blue, pink, and white shades, is more difficult to distinguish from green than the original red, FIFA is sticking to its inclusion policy. In this case, the inclusion of colour blind people.
The major organisations FIFA and UEFA prioritise inclusion highly. This also applies to the football experience, which should be accessible to as many people as possible, both in the stadium and on television.
No reds vs greens
Red-green colour blindness is the most common form of the condition. Due to genetic factors, men are much more frequently affected than women.
To ensure an inclusive football experience for people with colour blindness, the organisations do not allow teams in red shirts to play against teams in green shirts.
The green grass field would make it even more difficult for people with that type of colour blindness.
As early as the World Cup group match between Norway and Senegal, FIFA deviated from the usual clothing regulations. For example, Norway, as the home team, did not wear red but black. Senegal did not wear green shirts but white ones.
