Never Released: 4 Ireland Prototype Kits 'Leaked'
Four never-seen-before Ireland prototype shirts made by Umbro were shared this week by Jonathan Courtenay on twitter. Courtenay is managing director of JACC Sports, the company that handles Umbro's distribution in Ireland. Two of the prototype shirts he showed off were possible home jerseys, while two were considered as away strips.
Umbro Ireland Prototype Shirts
The photo below show the first prototype Ireland home kit.
This shirt was surely in the running to be Ireland's home kit in 2021. It has a similar colour scheme and overall template, but is perhaps a little bit less detailed than the final version. Some of the features were eventually used for the 2021 home shirt, while other aspects of this shirt, like the collar, went into the final design for the 2021 Ireland women's shirt.
Ireland men's and women's 2021 home kits.
Prototype Home Shirt 2
This shirt may have been an option for the 2016 home kit.
The shiny diagonal lines were present on the final 2016 kit, while the v neck collar seen here was switched out for a polo collar. The white trim under the sleeves was also enlarged for the final shirt.
One interesting part of this prototype design is the alternative coloring of the FAI badge, which features orange a lot more prominently than most Ireland kits to carry this incarnation of the crest.
Prototype Away Kit 1
This one is a dead ringer for the 2012 away kit, but with a different main color.
This grey shirt has all of the elements of the away shirt that was used at Euro 2012, but the color made way for white in the end. The grey tone of the fabric makes it look softer than the white version, although this could be just because it is easier to see the detail on the grey version.
The green stripe running through the badge, polo collar, and green trim on the sleeves remained identical, as did the inside of the collar.
Prototype Away Kit 2
This shirt is the pick of the bunch and would likely have been a popular kit had it been released.
A very clean, hooped design in black and grey with a simple crew neck collar and regular cut. It is unclear during which period that this shirt was proposed as an away option. Ireland had a different take on a hooped shirt in 2016, when the body was plain white and the sleeves featured green hoops.
2016 away and 2013 away shirts.
They also had a two-tone striped grey away shirt with a polo collar in 2013, which bore a crest with the same colour blocking as the prototype. In both of these instances, a strong case could be made that the prototype would have been a better choice.
What do you think of these prototype shirts? How do they compare to the final versions? Have your say below.
Northampton Town 26-27 Third Kit Released
Northampton Town and Puma have officially unveiled the club's new third kit for the 2026-27 season, completing the Cobblers' full wardrobe for the campaign. The new strip is set to make its on-pitch debut in the upcoming away fixture against Crewe Alexandra.
The Puma Northampton Town 2026-27 third shirt introduces a modern, dark grey base adorned with an intricate, brushstroke-like graphic pattern across the front in subtle claret and light grey tones. The collar and sleeve cuffs are detailed with clean black trim, while the club crest, Puma logo, and University of Northampton sponsor appear in crisp monochrome white.
Matching dark grey shorts and socks complete the uniform, creating a cohesive, stealthy aesthetic from top to bottom. The new 26-27 third kit is available to purchase now via the club's official online store.
AEK Athens 26-27 Away Kit Released
AEK Athens has officially unveiled its new away kit for the 2026-27 season, produced by Nike. Following the recent launches of the club's striped home and blue third shirts, the Greek side completes its set with a sleek, predominantly black design.
The Nike AEK Athens 2026-27 away jersey features a black base complemented by subtle dark charcoal diagonal pinstripes running down the front and lower back. Vibrant yellow accents highlight the collar, while the Nike Swoosh appears in matching yellow on the right chest. In place of the standard full shield, the left chest boasts a classic yellow double-headed eagle emblem adorned with the club's Greek initials, A.E.K.
Black shorts and black socks complete the full AEK Athens 26-27 away strip. The kit is now available for pre-order via the club's official online store.
Straight Nameset Confirmed for Manchester United 26-27 Third Kit
Following the release of the Manchester United 26-27 third kit, we wondered if the kit had straight or curved names. This has now been settled. The on-pitch appearance confirms that the names are applied in a straight horizontal alignment.
During the launch campaign by Adidas and Manchester United, one promotional photoshoot had Lisandro Martínez with a distinctive arch above the numbers - an error.
Schalke Manager Miron Muslić Wears New 26-27 Away Kit on Touchline
FC Schalke 04 head coach Miron Muslić made a unique style statement on the touchline by wearing the club's new 26-27 away shirt during their pre-season friendly against Atalanta at the VELTINS-Arena.
While his players took to the pitch in their traditional royal blue home jersey, the manager sported the popular retro-inspired white away kit, complete with the classic Adidas Trefoil and vintage club crest. The appearance provided an organic spotlight for the new release, which has enjoyed unprecedented commercial demand after selling 40,000 units in just two and a half hours alongside more than 20,000 additional pre-orders.
Vis Pesaro 1898 26-27 Home, Away & Third Kits Released
Italian Serie C side Vis Pesaro 1898 has officially launched its new kit collection for the 2026-27 season, produced once again in partnership with Macron. The launch also marks the debut of the club's new primary shirt sponsor, construction company Edilsir.
The Vis Pesaro 26-27 home kit stays true to the club's heritage, featuring the iconic red and white vertical stripes alongside a clean white round collar and matching sleeve trims. The Macron Hero logos and club crest are positioned on the chest, paired with classic styling that represents the identity of the Biancorossi.
Completing the lineup, the away shirt arrives on a clean white base highlighted by an abstract red marble pattern across the torso. The collection also includes an anthracite grey kit defined by an eye-catching white chevron across the midsection, subtle tonal textures across the chest, and refined dark trims.
Ternana Women 26-27 Home Kit Released
Newly promoted Serie A Women side Ternana have officially unveiled their home kit, becoming one of the very few women teams to have their own bespoke designs.
Made by Macron, the jersey put an interesting twist on the traditional green and red stripes, using one large central stripe and four smaller stripes around it, spreading out on the top. All of the stripes are outlined with yellow trims, matching with the logos and accents.
What do you think of the new Ternana Women 26-27 home kit by Macron? Let us know in the comments.
AEK Athens 26-27 Third Kit Released
AEK Athens have just unveiled their new 2026–27 third kit, featuring the iconic Dikéfalos (double-headed eagle) emblem on the left chest.
The kit has a simple design, with blue as the dominant color, while the collar and sleeve cuffs are black.
Nike has placed the Dikéfalos emblem on the left chest, the club’s symbol, instead of the full club crest.