Why footballers wear 'sports bras': The tech behind the viral GPS vest

Ahead of the FIFA World Cup final, football's so-called 'sports bra' is back in the spotlight. Here's why players wear these GPS tracker vests.

Ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup final between Spain and Argentina on July 20, there’s reignited interest around a piece of technology football fans have seen before: the tight, cropped vest worn by players under their jerseys. Often mistaken for a sports bra by internet users, it is actually a GPS tracker vest designed to monitor performance.

The cropped GPS vest keeps a tracking device securely positioned between a player's shoulder blades

The science behind these cropped vests

The vest contains a small GPS device placed between the shoulder blades that records data such as distance covered, sprint speed, acceleration, workload and movement patterns during matches and training. The data is then used to customise workouts, monitor fatigue and reduce injury risks.

The crop-top design is purely functional — it keeps the device in place as players sprint on the pitch.

When athletes turn to wearable tech

The football GPS vest reflects a wider trend of athletes using wearable technology to optimise performance. Even Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic was spotted wearing ear seeds at Wimbledon 2026, while German tennis player Alexander Zverev used a glucose monitor to track blood sugar levels. HTC