A shortage of the letter 'V' in printing supplies caused temporary unavailability of German national team 2026 World Cup jerseys bearing the names Havertz, Pavlovic, and Undav, Adidas and partners confirmed on June 17, 2026 [1, 2, 3, 4]. The shortage was driven by unexpectedly high demand for jerseys featuring these players and a limited supply of the 'V' letter flock for printing [1, 2, 3, 4].
An Adidas spokesperson said, "Due to high demand for flocks featuring the players Undav, Havertz and Pavlović, there were some short-term supply issues with the letter V. Working with our partner 11teamsports, we were able to resolve this quickly, so flocks featuring the letter V will soon be available to order online again" [2]. Another Adidas spokesman added, "There were short-term shortages in the availability of the letter ‘V’. These were quickly resolved and football tops with the letter ‘V’ will soon be available to order online again" [3].
The German blue away kit has been selling unexpectedly well after the squad announcement on May 21 and following the World Cup kickoff on June 11 in the United States, Mexico, and Canada [1, 2, 4]. Prices for German jerseys in Germany range from about 100 euros to 150 euros for two versions, while Adidas’ website showed jerseys with the letter 'V' priced around 170 euros during the shortage [1, 2, 3].
Adidas supplies kits for 14 of the 48 World Cup teams, generating about 1 billion euros in related revenue this tournament [1, 2, 3, 4]. The 2026 World Cup marks the final Adidas World Cup sponsorship for the German Football Association after a partnership lasting over 70 years. Beginning in 2027, Nike will become the German team’s official kit supplier under a deal running through 2034 [1, 3, 4].
The letter 'V' shortage was resolved by June 17, allowing Adidas to resume full online availability of German jerseys featuring all player names, just days after the tournament's start [1, 2, 3, 4].
