No More Templates? What Nike's Big Announcement For Kits Really Means
Feb 10, 2020, by Chris
When Nike revealed the first 2020 national team kits and Nike senior director Heidi Burgett shortly after confirmed "that Nike is ditching the templates", there was virtually a party on social media. But what does Nike's promise really mean?
Nike Has 65 Chassis Options In 2020
Nike did not say really much about what they have in store for football kits in 2020. Below is the main statement regarding the kits.
Nike 2010 World Cup kit
"We’re ditching the templates. For the 2020 kits, Nike designers had 65 chassis options available to them across varying necklines, sleeves, cuffs, badge placement, etc. “From hand-drawn prints to custom fonts, each team’s look will be its own.”
But what does this mean?
We’re ditching the templates:
There is no more one design for all teams templates like in 2016, when Nike introduced the Aeroswift jersey.
Nike designers had 65 chassis options available to them across varying necklines, sleeves, cuffs, badge placement, etc
There are not 65 completely different templates. Instead, Nike designers will have the option to choose between around eight different necklines, (probably) two badge placement options, (probably) two 'sleeve' designs and a few different cuffs. If you multiply 8*2*2*4 you got 64 different chassis - so there are not really infinite options.
From hand-drawn prints to custom fonts, each team’s look will be its own:
The fact that there are hand-drawn prints is nothing really new, even though the Nigeria design stands out from previous Nike jerseys with its uniqueness. Previously, Nike already did have custom fonts for its national teams, and unique designs were also no exception. The brand did also introduce a range of different collar options since 2016, which especially the 2019-2020 third kits standing out.
Nike 2020 Kits - Summary
We think that the main advantage to previous Nike templates is that the cut allows the design to stand out without interruption with the sleeves / back. This was especially a problem with striped kits like Barcelona's 2018-19 home shirt.
In fact, what Nike is doing here is similar to what Italian brand Macron has been doing since a few years already, especially with different necklines, cuffs and sleeves.
More Nike 2020 kits with the new 'template' will be launched in March 2020 likely, with each Nike-sponsored national team except Nigeria, USA and South Korea set to reveal their missing national team jerseys.
Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Grimsby Town 26-27 Third Kit Released
Grimsby Town and technical partner Lotto have officially revealed the club's new 26-27 third kit. Following the previous releases of their home and away strips, the new design draws inspiration from the earliest days of the Mariners playing at Blundell Park, combining a rich brown base with light blue and white accents.
The Grimsby Town 26-27 third jersey is predominantly brown, featuring a broad white chest band bordered by a thin sky blue line. The kit showcases an all-over sublimated diamond pattern across the body, with matching white and sky blue trim along the collar and sleeve cuffs. A monochrome white club crest sits on the chest, while a fisherman illustration is printed on the upper back as a sign-off detail.
Matching brown shorts and socks complete the full uniform for the Mariners. The new Lotto Grimsby Town 26-27 third strip will be available to purchase in-store from Friday, August 7, with online sales opening on Monday, August 10.
US Thionville Lusitanos 26-27 Home & Away Kits Released
French club US Thionville Lusitanos has officially unveiled its new home and away kits for the 26-27 season, made in collaboration with Kappa. The new collection draws direct inspiration from the history, architecture, and soul of the city of Thionville. The reveal shoot took place at the historic Tour aux Puces, emphasizing the deep connection between the club and its local heritage.
The 26-27 home kit features a sky blue base with white trim along the collar and sleeve cuffs, complemented by custom graphic artwork along the lower hem depicting local landmarks and symbols. The away shirt shares the same design blueprint, opting for a clean light grey base paired with white accents and tonal architectural patterns near the bottom. Both shirts feature crewneck collars and host a range of local club sponsors.
The new Kappa US Thionville Lusitanos 26-27 home and away jerseys will be available to purchase starting August 14, 2026.
Oliver Baumann Slams FIFA Over World Cup Jersey Badge
Germany goalkeeper Oliver Baumann has publicly spoken out against FIFA's commercialization, pointing to a controversial practice involving temporary kit badges at the 2026 World Cup. In a recent interview with BILD, the goalkeeper criticized what German media have dubbed "Trikot Gate," shedding light on how players' match jerseys were handled for profit behind the scenes.
According to Baumann, FIFA applied special commemorative patches to player shirts before matches, labeling players with titles like "Legacy" or "Debutant." However, immediately after matches, staff entered the dressing room to peel those badges off the jerseys. Frustrated by the process, Baumann stated that players just wanted to keep their authentic kits intact rather than having them stripped.
Baumann did not play a match in the 2026 World Cup. Those badges are removed from the kits to be later part of trading cards, as part of a deal with Topps. However, it remains to be seen if badges of players who finally did not make a debut will be made into cards, or if it was just removed because of the streamlined process.
The goalkeeper appealed to governing bodies to prioritize the sport itself over endless commercial initiatives. Baumann warned that excessive commercialization, from stripped kit patches to unnecessary breaks, threatens to alienate fans and players who care about the tradition and passion of football.
Mohamed Salah Takes Number 10 Shirt at Trabzonspor
Mohamed Salah has officially completed his move to Turkish side Trabzonspor after leaving Liverpool. Following his arrival, the Egyptian superstar has been assigned the club's number 10 shirt for the 26-27 season. The Turkish club had initially prepared the number 11 jersey, the same squad number Salah wore during his iconic stint at Anfield, but the winger requested number 10 instead to match his shirt number with the Egypt national team.
To accommodate the request, Trabzonspor player Ernest Muçi, who previously held the number 10 jersey, agreed to give up the squad number out of respect for his new teammate. During his arrival flight to Turkey, Salah was seen wearing a presentation kit featuring number 61. The number 61 holds special cultural significance in Trabzon, representing the province's vehicle code and a tradition celebrated by supporters in the 61st minute of matches.
Salah has signed a two-year deal with Trabzonspor, and his official number 10 kit is now available as the club prepares for the upcoming season.
