Why are England playing without names on shirts vs Belgium?

England will play the second-half of their international friendly against Belgium without names on the back of their shirts as part of a campaign to raise awareness of dementia.

As the players come out for the second half of England’s game against Belgium on Tuesday, March 26, fans will notice that the names on the back of the kits will have disappeared.

This was also done for the Three Lions during their game against Switzerland in 2022, as part of England’s official charity partnership with the Alzheimer’s Society.

The move is intended to draw attention to how people with dementia struggle with memory loss, including the names of their favourite footballers.

Kate Lee, Alzheimer’s Society CEO, said: “We hope this striking gesture with the player’s shirts will once again get fans across the country talking, and thinking about the signs and symptoms of dementia.

“By using football to shine a spotlight and increase awareness of dementia symptoms, we hope to not only encourage fans to donate towards our early diagnosis research, but also to support their loved ones just as much as they support their football team.

“This means taking crucial first steps in seeking a diagnosis if they suspect someone they care about may be affected. A diagnosis can be daunting but it’s better to know.”

The move comes in the wake of England’s new kit facing backlash online after fans took issue with Nike changing the colours of the St George’s Cross.

Gareth Southgate’s side come into the game off the back of a 1-0 defeat to Brazil. The England manager looks set to be forced into a heavily rotated side for the game against Belgium given the ongoing injuries within the squad.