![Morocco's Nil El Aynaoui plays on with a torn jersey during the 2026 World Cup group stage match against Scotland at Boston Stadium on June 19 (local time). [Reuters]](https://wimg.heraldcorp.com/news/cms/2026/06/23/news-p.v1.20260623.48e5d1fc14de4221a8d5fcfbfa84f1a1_P1.jpg)
As the 2026 North America World Cup group stage enters its second round of matches, Puma jerseys worn by national teams have torn on four separate occasions — prompting the sportswear brand to explain that the incidents stem from its use of an ultralight fabric.
BBC reported June 22 (local time) that four players had their jerseys torn since the tournament began, with three of them forced to leave the pitch and change into new kits. All four shirts were made by Puma.
The first incident came on June 11, the tournament's opening day, when Czech defender Pavel Sulc suffered multiple large tears in his jersey during a physical challenge in the 25th minute of the Czech Republic's match against South Korea.
The following day, Paraguay defender Gustavo Gomez's jersey split along the side just eight minutes into his team's match against the United States, after a tussle with American forward Folarin Balogun.
Gomez tucked the torn section into his shorts and continued playing before eventually changing his shirt.
On June 15, Egypt's Mustafa Zico had his jersey torn horizontally after falling over Belgium defender Maxim De Cuyper during the Belgium-Egypt match.
Then on June 19, Morocco midfielder Nil El Aynaoui's jersey was caught and ripped by a tackle from Scotland center back Jack Hendry during the Scotland-Morocco match. El Aynaoui showed the tear to the referee and appealed for a penalty, but no whistle was blown.
Puma's World Cup kits are made from a material called "Ultraweave."
In addition to Czech Republic, Paraguay, Egypt and Morocco, Austria, Ivory Coast, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Senegal and Switzerland also wear Puma jerseys at the tournament.
The ultralight fabric makes each shirt weigh just 72 grams. Puma has marketed the kit as "the fastest jersey at the World Cup," saying it is designed to reduce friction during play.
The shirts are made from recycled polyester, and the company said it spent years developing four-way stretch technology and testing the garment in demanding conditions.
Puma told the BBC that because soccer is a contact sport, jerseys "can be damaged when subjected to strong impacts or extreme physical stress," adding that "what is important is that this damage does not affect the players' performance."
The company added that player feedback showed a preference for lighter kits to perform at the highest level. "Therefore, during the development of the jersey, we prioritized lightweight construction while also considering freedom of movement, breathability and comfort," it said.
ygmoon@heraldcorp.com
