A new digital art design shows what Black Panther’s Wakanda World Cup uniforms would look like in the real world. The fictional African country – an increasingly prominent part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe – is renowned for its advanced society, its fighting prowess, and for being the primary source of vibranium - the material used to create Captain America’s shield - on the planet.

Despite these notable achievements, Wakanda’s sporting prowess remains untested, which is something they could test now that the nation has opened its borders to the rest of the world. Interestingly, Okoye, the general of Wakanda’s Dora Milaje, signaled the historically-secretive nation’s willingness to embrace such contests as the Olympics and the World Cup during a lighthearted moment in Avengers: Infinity War. Leading up to Thanos’ invasion in Wakanda, Okoye told King T’Challa that she did not imagine an alien invasion when they decided to reveal themselves to the world. Instead, she imagined hosting the Olympics… or just getting a local Starbucks. While seeing the Wakandans competing in the Olympics would be great, what about the World Cup?

Graphic designer Mark Yesilevskiy created designs for a possible Wakanda World Cup soccer team and posted them on his website: a black home kit inspired by Black Panther’s own costume and a red away kit based on the Dora Milaje’s uniforms. The all-black version draws clear inspiration from Black Panther costume designer Ruth Carter’s original creation, as worn by Chadwick Boseman in this year’s runaway blockbuster hit. Like Carter’s own design, Yesilevskiy’s vision blends futuristic chic with African tribal features, including the hero’s distinctive necklace. His second design is a more colorful effort, featuring red shirt and black shorts, with white and black patterns along the shoulders and down the sides representing the Dora Milaje’s armor. Take a look:

Future Marvel installments are unlikely to see T’Challa and friends donning Yesilevskiy’s designs to slug it out on the soccer pitch. Indeed, the Wakandans’ first priority will be finding a way to bring T’Challa (and the other lost Avengers) back to life after he was lost to the snap of Thanos’ fingers during Infinity War’s emotional finale. His return seems inevitable after Black Panther 2 was all but officially announced in the wake of its record-breaking box office performance, but how that will be achieved remains shrouded in mystery. It is likely that his compatriots will play a part, though, following T’Challa’s decision drop Wakanda’s fiercely-guarded cloak of secrecy and embrace both the superhero syndicate and the wider world.

Other plot details for the as-yet-untitled Avengers 4 also remain under wraps - but rumors and fan theories are abound. What is known is that it will mark the end of the MCU’s first saga and lay the foundation for what the shared universe will become down the line. Of course, fans fully expect Black Panther to be part of that future, but considering he’s gone at the moment, who knows what the future holds for the character and his country.

More: Black Panther: 16 Things You Didn’t Know About Wakanda

Source: Mark Yesilevskiy

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