"Ghost Kits": Barcelona Produced 300,000 In-House Kits in Case the Nike Deal Would Have Ended
- Kit Production: FC Barcelona produced 300,000 unbranded kits at a cost of €4 million as a contingency during contract negotiations with Nike.
- Contract Negotiations: The production of these kits served as leverage during contract renewal negotiations with Nike in 2024, in case the talks were to collapse.
- Nike Deal: After Barcelona and Nike reached a deal worth €1.7 billion through 2038, the unbranded kits became obsolete and remain stored, with Nike holding the rights to approve any future use.
FC Barcelona spent approximately four million euros producing 300,000 official garments that have never been used and remain stored in a warehouse in Barcelona province, according to reports from the reliable El País.
Barcelona's €4 Million Kit Gamble: 300,000 Unused Shirts Stored After Nike Deal
The unprecedented move saw the club manufacture complete kits for all sporting sections and thousands of first-team football shirts without Nike's logo during intense contract renewal negotiations in 2024, serving as both a pressure tactic and contingency plan in case talks collapsed.
After Barcelona and Nike eventually reached a deal worth €1.7 billion through 2038 in November 2024, the non-branded kits (which feature only the club's Bihub Tech label and were priced at €89 for retail) became obsolete, with no immediate plans for their use or sale and any future utilization requiring Nike's approval, given their exclusive rights to technical garments.
Check out classic Barça kits on Football Kit Archive
The design of the Barcelona 'Ghost' jerseys is not known.
Check out the 26-27 Kit Overview for more 2026-2027 kit leaks & releases.
