Yet another kit infraction was spotted at the 2026 World Cup, this time in England's match with Ghana on Tuesday.
The Three Lions were left frustrated by a rigid and defensive Ghana side that sat deep for long periods and gave Thomas Tuchel's men little room to work with in the final third.
England struggled to fashion clear openings throughout, with Ghana happy to defend their point all the way to a goalless draw. It was a match that also saw Jude Bellingham narrowly avoid a red card.
Amid the chances and near misses, however, a sharp-eyed fan spotted something else entirely: a potential breach of FIFA's kit regulations involving Ghana and Manchester City winger, Antoine Semenyo.
What Rule did Antoine Semenyo Break?
Antoine Semenyo vs EnglandREUTERS/Peter Cziborra
Semenyo was wearing white socks during the match, and he’s not the only player doing it. Grip socks, which are designed with rubber patches on the soles, to keep a player's foot from moving inside their boot, are very common among footballers at all levels.
Harry Kane Related
FIFA Urged to Ban England World Cup Tactic Used During 4-2 Win vs Croatia
England utilised a tactic against Croatia that should be outlawed by FIFA, according to one pundit
Section 2 of the IFAB's Law 4 states that “any tape or material applied externally to a sock must match the colour of the part of the sock it covers.” Ghana wore mostly yellow socks for the fixture, meaning the white of the grip sock was visible on Semenyo's ankle and breached that requirement, with officials seemingly failing to intervene during the match.
Former PGMOL Boss Keith Hackett Wades in
Ezri Konsa EnglandDavid Butler / IMAGN Images via Reuters
The post soon caught the attention of Keith Hackett, a former Premier League referee and PGMOL chief. Responding directly to the fan on X who’d pointed it out to him, Hackett wrote: "Well spotted Pat clearly law not being applied," backing their claim that match officials had overlooked the infraction.
Hackett also made comment on Keito Nakamura's apparent lack of shin pads during Japan's clash with the Netherlands. Both incidents have raised similar questions about consistency in enforcement.
Japan's Keito Nakamura Related
Japan Player Accused of Breaking Kit Rule vs Netherlands - Ex-FIFA Referee Drops Update
Japan player is accused of breaking kit rule during the 2026 World Cup clash against Netherlands as an ex-FIFA referee reacts
Hackett has made little secret of his frustrations with refereeing standards throughout the World Cup, and this latest episode involving Semenyo’s socks has kept the record spinning.
World Cup 2026 Quiz
You scored
↩ Play again