New Balance Takes Legal Action Against Liverpool To Block Nike Deal
Today, we could confirm that Nike is set to make Liverpool's kits from 2020. Now it has been revealed that Liverpool’s current supplier New Balance has taken legal action against the club in a bid to retain the kit rights when the current contract expires in May 2020.
Believes Liverpool FC Disregarded Its Matching Offer Rights’
According to The Athletic sports news service, New Balance believes the club disregarded its ‘matching offer rights’ following a bid from sporting goods rival Nike for the period after the 2019-20 season.
New Balance insist that the matching offer clause in the current contract obliges Liverpool to give the incumbent brand an extension. Liverpool reportedly disagrees, hence New Balance’s filing of a dispute at the High Court earlier this month.
A Liverpool spokesman said: “We can confirm that our kit supplier, New Balance, has commenced a legal dispute against the club. We will not be making any further comment during these legal proceedings.”
The Athletic further reports that Liverpool does not accept New Balance’s bid as a contractually-binding matching offer ”because they [New Balance] can’t offer the same kind of global distribution network that Nike possesses. The Anfield hierarchy favour going with Nike as they will provide them with a greater presence in key markets across the world.”
The Liverpool Nike kit deal is reported to be worth close to the £75m ($93.4m/€85m) per year generated by Manchester United in its 10-year deal with Adidas, from 2015-16 to 2024-25. Liverpool’s current deal with New Balance is worth about £45m per year.
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FC Tiamo Hirakata 26-27 Home Kit Released
Japanese Football League side FC Tiamo Hirakata has officially unveiled their new 2026-27 home kit, produced by sportswear brand Jogarbola. The release introduces a cracking design under the club's Reborn campaign for the upcoming JFL season, symbolizing a new beginning for the club.
Brighton to Wear 125th Anniversary Kit Against Arsenal
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Nike Creates Personalized Mercurial 2026 World Cup Boots for Kylian Mbappé's France Goalscoring Record
Kylian Mbappé has officially cemented his legacy as the greatest goalscorer in the history of the French national team, surpassing Olivier Giroud to take the top spot. To celebrate this historic milestone of reaching 58 international goals, Nike has presented the star forward with a personalized pair of Mercurial Superfly 11 boots. This special edition footwear arrives just in time as Mbappé prepares to make his 100th appearance for Les Bleus.
The custom Nike Mercurial Superfly 11 Mbappé 2026 World Cup boots features a distinct "58" lightly printed on the lateral side of the heel, representing his record-breaking goal tally. Additionally, a small French tricolor flag is prominently positioned near the heel collar, paying direct homage to his national team.
