6 Amazing 1980s Adidas Ireland Prototype Shirts
Ireland will be getting a new kit manufacturer soon and many Irish fans would love a return to Adidas. Take a look at some of the German brand's designs for the Boys in Green in the 80s that never got released. Images courtesy of Jonathan Courtenay and Classic Football Shirts.
Unreleased Adidas Ireland Prototype Shirts
Adidas made kits for the Irish team from 1974 to 1976, then again from 1986 to 1994. Their second stint coincided with the greatest period in Irish football history, with every kit they produced in that era considered a classic amongst fans, aided by the fond memories of Euro 88, Italia 90 and USA 94. There is still huge demand for these kits today, as well as Adidas Ireland training wear, and their relative scarcity drives the prices up even more.
While it's hard enough to get your hands on an Ireland shirt from the late 80s or early 90s, you'd have to have some serious contacts to manage to add some of the prototypes below to your wardrobe. Owner of JACC Sports - whose Umbro kit contract was terminated by the FAI earlier this week - Jonathan Courtenay shared these images on twitter, showcasing some Ireland shirt designs that didn't make the cut. Check them out below.
1.
This one would have been one of Ireland's greatest kits ever. Clean and simple Adidas design, beautifully proportionate cuffs and v neck, orange lining on the three stripes add some detail and the striped jacquard effect make it clear what era it's from.
2.
White sleeves would have been a first on an Ireland home kit and to this day have never featured on a green Ireland shirt. If they do ever make their way onto one, they surely won't be as shiny as this. Three stripe detailing on the cuffs and collar is also a nice touch.
3.
The sash is another element never to be seen on Ireland's home shirts, although it looks pretty smart here. We're not used to seeing so much orange colour blocking either, in a fairly intense shade too.
4.
This prototype inverts the accent colours from the previous shirt. The orange sash's association with the Orange Order in Ireland means it would have been very controversial, to say the least. The FAI probably shot down this proposal very quickly.
5 and 6
You may have seen this one before and you surely recognise the design, applied here to both home and away jerseys. These kits were intended to be used by Ireland but the FAI rejected them on the grounds that the home strayed too far from tradition, and they were also allegedly unhappy that Adidas did not consult them before the launch and release.
With many shirts already having been produced before they were scrapped, Adidas stitched the older, non-trademarked crest onto the shirts and sold them as supporters' jerseys instead.
What do you think of these prototypes? If Ireland were to reunite with Adidas, could you see them dipping into their design archives for some ideas? Let us know in the comments.
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.