- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 1,211,651
- Reaction score
- 59
The 2026 Winter Olympics will be a big one for hockey. NHL players are set to return to the tournament for the first time since 2014, bringing about a buzz we haven't seen in over a decade. And on the women's side, the United States and Canada will likely clash once again to see which country takes home gold at tournament's end.
But before the medals are handed out, the games have to be played. And with another international tournament comes the chance to rank the jerseys of the 12 major teams set to play on Olympic ice this season. Jersey rankings are a tradition we here at For The Win love to take part in and the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina are no exception.
So, to kick off the latest Winter Olympics, here's how we rank the jerseys for the countries, from meh to stellar.
I've never liked hockey jerseys that trend too close to being soccer kits and Italy's choice definitely veers in that direction. It makes sense given Italy's long history with soccer, but it doesn't work on a hockey jersey for me.
France's jerseys are absolutely the most uninspired of the bunch. Just slap some lines underneath "FRANCE" and call it a day, folks! And add some lines on the sleeves for good measure! Just disappointing all around.
I'll never understand Canada's obsession with black on red without a hint of white to break it up. The white jersey is the best of the bunch but even then, the incomplete stripes around the arms really take this down even further. Canada should have just stuck with an iteration of their 4 Nations Face-Off jersey here.
Speaking of a red and white color scheme, Switzerland does theirs really nicely here in comparison to Canada. My biggest complaint lies with the pants, as I'm not really sure why they needed big blocks of text that say "SWISS" on there. That decision takes this jersey down the rankings significantly on what is an otherwise great sweater.
Yeah that's a Sweden jersey alright. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. But also, I'm kind of getting tired of the usual Sweden style so hopefully they mix things up in the future because there's definitely more that can be done with these jerseys.
Maroon is such an underutilized color in sports jerseys and Latvia pulls it off quite well. I do wish Latvia did a bit of a better job blending the old school crest with the more modern piping and lettering, but considering how unique the jersey is compared to the rest, I still like it.
The Czechia crest of the coat of arms is the real highlight here. I'm not the biggest fan of the pattern on the shoulders but it does prevent the jersey from looking a bit too plain. Overall, really solid stuff here.
I really dig this look from Finland, as they ditch the "Suomi" text and opt for the crest look as well. However, the unbalanced symmetry of the middle stripe really disappoints me, as it would be a much stronger jersey if the entire stripe was the same all the way around. Still a very pleasing combination of colors though.
I love the lion crest here and the symmetry of the stripes on the jersey really make it pop. Denmark's jersey is definitely top heavy, but considering how good that top half is, I have to give it high marks.
Germany's eagle crest has always been outstanding, but these jerseys really elevate it with simple color blocks that draw your attention to the logo above all. It's also neat that Germany's away jerseys are yellow here instead of your typical white sweater, which makes these have a pretty cohesion to them when they stand side by side.
No one does script lettering on jerseys better than the United States. This is a very classic look that has stood the test of time and for good reason. It's a great sweater that doesn't do too much or try to reinvent the wheel. And it's definitely one of the better jerseys Team USA has shown off in recent years.
Slovakia takes the crown here with a really fresh blend of old and new school design. The classic crest is prominently displayed over top of a background of the Tatra Mountains that stand tall in north Slovakia. Playing with the lines and the shape of the jersey really works in Slovakia's favor here and the result is a crisp and clean sweater that pops on the ice in both the home and away versions.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Every 2026 Winter Olympics jersey for Milano Cortina, ranked
Continue reading...
But before the medals are handed out, the games have to be played. And with another international tournament comes the chance to rank the jerseys of the 12 major teams set to play on Olympic ice this season. Jersey rankings are a tradition we here at For The Win love to take part in and the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina are no exception.
So, to kick off the latest Winter Olympics, here's how we rank the jerseys for the countries, from meh to stellar.
12. Italy
I've never liked hockey jerseys that trend too close to being soccer kits and Italy's choice definitely veers in that direction. It makes sense given Italy's long history with soccer, but it doesn't work on a hockey jersey for me.
11. France
France's jerseys are absolutely the most uninspired of the bunch. Just slap some lines underneath "FRANCE" and call it a day, folks! And add some lines on the sleeves for good measure! Just disappointing all around.
10. Canada
I'll never understand Canada's obsession with black on red without a hint of white to break it up. The white jersey is the best of the bunch but even then, the incomplete stripes around the arms really take this down even further. Canada should have just stuck with an iteration of their 4 Nations Face-Off jersey here.
9. Switzerland
Speaking of a red and white color scheme, Switzerland does theirs really nicely here in comparison to Canada. My biggest complaint lies with the pants, as I'm not really sure why they needed big blocks of text that say "SWISS" on there. That decision takes this jersey down the rankings significantly on what is an otherwise great sweater.
8. Sweden
Yeah that's a Sweden jersey alright. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. But also, I'm kind of getting tired of the usual Sweden style so hopefully they mix things up in the future because there's definitely more that can be done with these jerseys.
7. Latvia
Maroon is such an underutilized color in sports jerseys and Latvia pulls it off quite well. I do wish Latvia did a bit of a better job blending the old school crest with the more modern piping and lettering, but considering how unique the jersey is compared to the rest, I still like it.
6. Czechia
The Czechia crest of the coat of arms is the real highlight here. I'm not the biggest fan of the pattern on the shoulders but it does prevent the jersey from looking a bit too plain. Overall, really solid stuff here.
5. Finland
I really dig this look from Finland, as they ditch the "Suomi" text and opt for the crest look as well. However, the unbalanced symmetry of the middle stripe really disappoints me, as it would be a much stronger jersey if the entire stripe was the same all the way around. Still a very pleasing combination of colors though.
4. Denmark
I love the lion crest here and the symmetry of the stripes on the jersey really make it pop. Denmark's jersey is definitely top heavy, but considering how good that top half is, I have to give it high marks.
3. Germany
Germany's eagle crest has always been outstanding, but these jerseys really elevate it with simple color blocks that draw your attention to the logo above all. It's also neat that Germany's away jerseys are yellow here instead of your typical white sweater, which makes these have a pretty cohesion to them when they stand side by side.
2. United States
No one does script lettering on jerseys better than the United States. This is a very classic look that has stood the test of time and for good reason. It's a great sweater that doesn't do too much or try to reinvent the wheel. And it's definitely one of the better jerseys Team USA has shown off in recent years.
1. Slovakia
Slovakia takes the crown here with a really fresh blend of old and new school design. The classic crest is prominently displayed over top of a background of the Tatra Mountains that stand tall in north Slovakia. Playing with the lines and the shape of the jersey really works in Slovakia's favor here and the result is a crisp and clean sweater that pops on the ice in both the home and away versions.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Every 2026 Winter Olympics jersey for Milano Cortina, ranked
Continue reading...
