Why are England wearing their blue kit against Spain?

It’s the first time the England men’s or women’s team have reached a football World Cup final since 1966

England face Spain in their first Women’s World Cup final as Sarina Wiegman and her players look to bring the game’s biggest prize home from Sydney. Lauren James returns to the bench as Wiegman named an unchanged side for the World Cup final, with the star forward now available for selection after serving her two-game ban.

But quite aside from the players on show, one of the early talking points of the match is the fact England are not playing in white - but instead in their changed strip of light blue jerseys and shorts.

But the choice is down to Fifa at all World Cup games. The governing body selects all kits, including referee and subs’ bibs, after assessing factors to ensure no overlap not just in actual colour but also which ones could affect viewers who are colour blind.

As such, they have determined that the best contrasts across the spectrum are for the gold versus blue - which just so happens to be the same colour scheme used when the teams met in April in a friendly.

It’s the first time the England men’s or women’s team have reached a football World Cup final since 1966, with the nation set to come to a halt for the historic occasion.

Follow all the build-up to England’s clash against Spain in the final, get all the latest Women’s World Cup odds here and find latest tips for the game itself here.