How A Nike Elite Team Kit Is Made - From Start To Finish
Have you ever wondered what steps it takes before the football kit of a big team is being launched? London's semi-pro club Hackney Wick FC shared some interesting images that partly document how a Nike football kit is created.
Hackney Wick is no big professional team but a semi-professional club from London. However, they had the chance to get the same treatment as Nike's best teams for their 2019-2020 kits. The Hackney Wick 2019-2020 kits were designed in collaboration with Nike’s Nigeria 2018 Football shirt designer Peter Hoppins - So the design process of their kits partly shows us how the kits of Barca, PSG and other teams are coming to life.
The Design Process Of A Custom Nike Football Kit
There are different steps in the design process of a kit of the biggest clubs. As you've probably guessed, it takes many steps for a football shirt to land in a store.
The club’s jerseys were created to be London’s own version of Nike’s Naija kits
First, ideas and concepts are gathered by Nike / the club.
Second, one of the Nike designers creates a concept kit of which samples are being made.
Third, if the club is satisfied with the prospected designs, Nike prepares everything for the launch.
First Ideas, Sketches & Concepts
It all starts with a 'blank paper'. The first step that is needed for a bespoke Nike kit is brainstorming - for Hackney Wick FC that meant children players and others of the team were invited by Nike to share their ideas and create concept kits on paper or using Nike's digital tools.
"The club’s jerseys were created to be London’s own version of Nike’s Naija kits. The final design of Every doodle on the shirts were created by local schoolchildren, whose identity has been weaved into the kits with an aim of empowering a new generation of young Londoners".
Flamengo's officials disapproved Adidas' prospected 2022-23 home kit design in October 2020
Nike Creates Concept Of Final Shirt Design
After the first ideas of the shirt have been collected, a Nike football designer (in that case Peter Hoppins) creates a possible final design.
Design Concept Is Shown Off To Club Officials
Nike's prospected design is shown off to the team to find out if they are happy with it or of they would like to see some changes being made.
The product sketch and 3d image are the same as for Nike's Elite teams
It is safe to assume that Nike did not only show off the team a product sketch and a 3d render but also a real life sample of the kit. We can say that the product sketch and the 3d image are 100% the same that Nike also made for their biggest teams in 2019-2020.
Launch Pictures
What have to be done ahead of the launch are, logically, pictures for the launch. Select players are invented by Nike (or a commissioned agency) for a photo shoot.
Launch
The launch is the last step. It means that the team not only shows off a few pictures of their kits on social media but also to promote the kit and to made it available to buy as easily as possible.
Flamengo's official disapproved Adidas' prospected 2022-23 home kit design in October 2020
The Nike Hackney Wick FC 2019-20 kits were available from Nike.com, just as the kits of the biggest clubs.
Process For Elite Teams - A Bit Different & Usually Takes Longer
For Elite teams, the process is a bit difference and takes more time. Nike's process for a big team's kit usually starts around two years (a bit more than 24 months) ahead of the launch. In contrast to the kits of Hackney Wick FC, the first design concepts and ideas are gathered by Nike. Then a designer creates concepts for not only one but several teams.
What is not part of the process of a specific team's kit but is very important is the following. Before Nike's designers start with the first specific concept kits, they settle a streamlined design idea for a year (season) and the template(s) they are going to use. See the EURO 2016 kits as example.
The design of a kit is settled usually 18 months ahead of the launch
If Nike's colleagues and supervisor are fine with the designer's concept, it is presented to the club officials. If they are happy with the prospected designs (there might be made some small adjustments), the design of the kit is settled - usually 18 months ahead of the launch.
In fact, Flamengo officials disapproved Adidas' prospected 2022-23 home kit design in October 2020 - around 18 months ahead of the intended launch.
After the design has been determined, the usual steps begin. Nike lets produce more samples of the kit and tries to optimize the look and feeling of it. Some small things might change. It is also looked for possible problems with the shirts and other elements.
If everything is fine with a sample, the job for the Nike designer is actually done. The production for the final shirts starts around five months before the kits hit stores.
How much would you give to get the top club treatment of Nike for your team? Would you like Hackney Wick to share even more details of the design process? Comment below.
Vintage Football Shirts
from Cult Kits
2003/04 Teramo L/S Home Shirt (XXL) Errea
1992 Manchester United GK -93 Reusable Face Mask
2007/08 France Henry #12 Home Shirt (L) Adidas
2015/16 Orlando City Kaka #10 Home Shirt (XXL) Adidas
2001 Brent And Colleagues For England
2008/09 Inter Milan Maicon #13 Home Shirt (S) Nike
2000/02 Spain Track Jacket (L) Adidas
2008/09 Juventus Del Piero #10 L/S Home Shirt (L) Nike
1998/00 PSV *Player Issue* BNWT GK Shirt (XL) Nike
1978/80 Dallas Tornado *BNWT* Home Shirt (M) Admiral Nasl
Barcelona Releases Limited LaLiga Victory Box for 2025-26 Season
Barcelona has launched a limited edition LaLiga Victory Box to mark the club's 2025-26 title success. Priced at €499.99, the collection is sold exclusively through the official Barça store and is capped at 1,000 units total across available sizes.
Each box contains a player edition 2025-26 home jersey featuring a special commemorative LaLiga champions inscription, an official champions t-shirt, a numbered victory scarf, and a random limited Panini Instant card. The cards include rare parallels, with only 25 units across the run signed by players including Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, Lewandowski, Pedri, and Gavi.
The release follows Barcelona's league triumph in the 2025-26 campaign. Orders are now open with shipping in approximately two weeks. Would you purchase one of these boxes? Let us know in the comments.
Colo-Colo 26-27 Retro Lifestyle Kit Leaked
Kit tracker Kamil Berberler has posted details of a Colo-Colo x adidas Originals Collection long sleeve jersey. The image has been recreated with the FIFA Kit Creator tool.
The Adidas Originals Colo-Colo 2026 jersey is based on the streamlined template, in a no-nonsense black and white colorway. It has a black base with contrasting white logos.
Coritiba 26-27 Away Kit Released
Coritiba has officially revealed its new away jersey for the 2026-27 season. Produced by Diadora, the shirt known as the Jogadeira draws inspiration from the nighttime landscape of Curitiba, reflecting urban lighting, traditional architecture, and the club's deep roots in the city through the 'Curitiba é Coritiba' campaign.
The design emphasizes a dark green base with thinner white vertical stripes for a more contemporary look. It features a white polo collar with matching accents on the shoulders, sleeves, and cuffs. The club crest is on the left chest and the Diadora logo appears in white on the right. A custom jacquard pattern references historic republican posts along Rua XV de Novembro, connected to the 'Pelo Mundo Vai Brilhar' theme.
White shorts and green socks round out the kit. It is now available at official Coxa Store locations and online.
What do you think of the new Coritiba away shirt? Let us know in the comments.
Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo 30th Anniversary 26-27 Home Kit Released
Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo have announced their new home kit for the 2026-27 season made by Mizuno. The shirt celebrates the club's 30th anniversary and is set to be worn in all official matches throughout the campaign.
The design retains the team's traditional red and black vertical stripes but incorporates a starry sky pattern between them, drawing from the Hokkaido prefecture flag. It also features a special centered 30th anniversary badge marking the milestone.
The kit supports the club's push for promotion back to the J1 League.
What do you think of the new Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo 2026-27 home kit? Let us know in the comments.
France 2026 World Cup Numbers Announced
France head coach Didier Deschamps has officially announced his 26-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America. Following the announcement, the French Football Federation (FFF) has also revealed the official squad numbers that the Les Bleus will wear during the tournament.
The squad features a blend of experienced veterans and exciting young talent. As expected, superstar Kylian Mbappé will wear the iconic number 10 shirt, while Antoine Griezmann's former number 7 has been given to Ousmane Dembélé.
Here is the complete list of the France squad and their official numbers for the 2026 World Cup:
Goalkeepers
1 – Brice Samba (Rennes)
16 – Mike Maignan (AC Milan)
23 – Robin Risser (Lens)
Defenders
2 – Malo Gusto (Chelsea)
3 – Lucas Digne (Aston Villa)
4 – Dayot Upamecano (Bayern Munich)
5 – Jules Koundé (Barcelona)
15 – Ibrahima Konaté (Liverpool)
17 – William Saliba (Arsenal)
19 – Theo Hernandez (Al Hilal)
21 – Lucas Hernandez (PSG)
26 – Maxence Lacroix (Crystal Palace)
Midfielders
6 – Manu Koné (AS Roma)
8 – Aurélien Tchouaméni (Real Madrid)
13 – N'Golo Kanté (Fenerbahçe)
14 – Adrien Rabiot (AC Milan)
18 – Warren Zaïre-Emery (PSG)
Forwards
7 – Ousmane Dembélé (PSG)
9 – Marcus Thuram (Inter Milan)
10 – Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid)
11 – Michael Olise (Bayern Munich)
12 – Bradley Barcola (PSG)
20 – Désiré Doué (PSG)
22 – Jean-Philippe Mateta (Crystal Palace)
24 – Rayan Cherki (Manchester City)
25 – Maghnes Akliouche (Monaco)
France, drawn into Group I, will face Iraq, Norway, and Senegal in the group stage as they aim for their third World Cup title.
Red Star Belgrade 2026-27 Home Kit Revealed
Red Star Belgrade have unveiled their new home kit for the 2026-27 season, produced by Macron. The shirt keeps the club's traditional red and white vertical stripes but in a narrower format.
The design includes a knitted polo collar with white detailing and gold accents inside the collar and on the hem. A tone-on-tone sublimated graphic inspired by the topographical map of Belgrade runs across the chest, sleeves and lower back.
The Red Star Belgrade crest sits on the left chest alongside the Macron logo. The kit is due to feature in the Serbian SuperLiga and was shown to fans at an event in the city on May 22.
What do you think of the new Red Star Belgrade 2026-27 home kit? Let us know in the comments.
FC Barcelona 26-27 Special Edition Pre-Match Shirt Leaked
The first look at a striking FC Barcelona special edition pre-match shirt for the 2026-2027 season has been shared by the highly reliable club apparel insider @memorabilia1899.
This new design takes a bold approach by seamlessly combining the club's traditional visual identity with its deep-rooted regional heritage, resulting in a highly distinct half-and-half look for the Catalan giants.
The design of the Barcelona 26-27 special edition pre-match shirt relies on a sharp vertical split directly down the center of the torso. One half of the jersey features the club's classic Blaugrana colors in traditional vertical red and blue stripes, while the other half proudly displays the red and yellow stripes of the Senyera, the official Catalan flag. To tie the contrasting halves together, Nike has utilized a clean gold color for both the Swoosh on the right chest and the centralized Spotify sponsor logo, accompanied by the standard club crest.
This bold pre-match jersey will serve as the official warm-up apparel for the club's highly anticipated 26-27 fourth kit.
What are your thoughts on this unique half-and-half design for the Barcelona 26-27 special edition pre-match shirt? Let us know in the comments below.