Nike Supplies Only 5 Teams Across All 92 English Clubs for 26-27 Season
Aug 6, 2026, by Phan Tich Giay
- Nike's Drastically Reduced Presence: For the 26-27 season, Nike will supply kits for only five out of 92 English professional football clubs, including just three Premier League teams and two EFL clubs, marking a significant decrease in its market share.
- Market Domination by Rivals: In contrast to Nike's reduced presence, Puma leads the kit supplier rankings with 16 clubs, followed by Adidas with 14 and Macron with 13, indicating a highly competitive and fragmented market.
- Strategic Business Pivot: Nike's sharp decrease in club count is a deliberate strategy to focus financial backing on elite global super-clubs, major national federations, and high-profile individual athletes, rather than maintaining a widespread portfolio across lower divisions.
A striking breakdown of kit manufacturers for the 92 English professional clubs ahead of the 26-27 season has highlighted Nike's drastically reduced presence in the country's football pyramid. The American brand will supply kits for just five teams across the Premier League and English Football League combined. The graphic, compiled by Playmaker, has sparked widespread discussion among kit enthusiasts regarding Nike's changing strategy in the football apparel market. Big thanks to @playmaker_EN.
Nike Supplies Only 5 Teams Across All 92 English Clubs for 26-27 Season
Out of the 92 clubs across England's top four divisions, Nike's roster now comprises just three Premier League sides, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, and Brighton & Hove Albion, alongside only two clubs in the EFL.
In stark contrast, Puma leads the 26-27 rankings with 16 clubs, followed closely by Adidas with 14 and Macron with 13. Even mid-tier suppliers like Errea with 8 teams, alongside Hummel and Castore with 6 each, match or surpass Nike's volume in English football.
- 16: PUMA
- 14: Adidas
- 13: Macron
- 6: Castore, Hummel
- 5: Nike, Oxen
- 4: Umbro, Errea
- 3: Joma, O'Neills
- 2: Lotto, Reebok
- 1: Admiral Sports, Capelli, Sudu, Meyba, New Balance, Kelme, Mills, Reflo, VX3
This low figure marks a significant shift from previous eras when Nike and Adidas controlled a vast portion of the supply market in England. The sharp decrease in Nike's club count is seen as a deliberate strategic pivot.
Rather than maintaining a widespread portfolio across lower divisions, Nike has increasingly focused its financial backing on elite global super-clubs, major national federations, and high-profile individual athlete endorsements, allowing standard club contracts to expire without seeking renewals.
As Nike scales back its broader football footprint, rival kit manufacturers have quickly seized the opportunity to expand. Brands like Puma and Macron have built strong footholds across the Football League, while challenger brands offer bespoke designs and attractive commercial terms that appeal to clubs outside the global elite. Consequently, the reliance on generic templates for smaller clubs has opened the door for alternative brands to gain valuable visibility.
Although Nike continues to hold lucrative long-term partnerships with marquee names globally, its presence on English touchlines during the 26-27 campaign is at an all-time low. The distribution of kit makers across the 92 English clubs demonstrates that the football shirt market is far more fragmented and competitive than ever, with Nike content to maintain a tight, highly curated selection of teams.
Special Rayados 'Legado 86' Commemorative Kit Released
Mexican side CF Monterrey and Puma have officially unveiled a special commemorative jersey, titled the Jersey Legado 86. Celebrating the 40th anniversary of Monterrey's first-ever Liga MX league championship won in the Mexico 1986 tournament, the commemorative shirt made its on-pitch debut during their 26-27 Liga MX match against Cruz Azul.
The shirt's defining characteristic is the substitution of the modern club crest with the classic 1986 retro emblem, which showcases the historic mountain silhouette, vintage football, and classic club lettering. Puma positioned their red cat logo and the retro crest to replicate the arrangement seen on the original 1986 jersey, while modern club partners such as BBVA and Codere are incorporated across the traditional navy and white stripes.
Several bespoke detailing elements complete the design, including a star graphic with the number 86 printed inside the collar and the current Rayados crest positioned on the nape of the neck. Released in a limited run of 1,986 pieces, the collector's item pays homage to one of the most celebrated moments in the club's history.
FC Kaiserslautern 26-27 Special Kit Released
Bundesliga 2 side 1. FC Kaiserslautern have officially unveiled their special 2026-27 'Herz der Pfalz' (Heart of the Palatinate) kit. Made by Castore, the shirt debuted against Eintracht Braunschweig and celebrates the region's wine culture and late-summer wine festivals.
The special shirt features a light beige base with a darker stylized grapevine pattern, while Bordeaux-red details appear on the collar, cuffs and monochrome Castore and FCK logos. The 'Herz der Pfalz' wording is placed on the upper back, with additional lettering inside the collar.
What do you think of the new 1. FC Kaiserslautern 2026-27 special kit? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Various Argentine Clubs To Switch Kit Supplier
Following latest reports from Argentine kit expert Marca de Gol, various Argentine clubs are expected to change kit supplier for the upcoming 2027 season.
Notably, four top flight sides could already be on their way to partner with local brand Atomik: Vélez Sársfield, Atlético Talleres, Gimnasia La Plata and Atlético Tucumán. On the other hand, Italian brand Givova are seemingly losing two teams - Gimnasia as mentioned above and Atlético Unión to Fiume Sports.
Which of these supplier change do you look forward the most? Let us know in the comments.
Puma Kit Durability Questioned Again as Julian Ryerson Suffers Ripped Shorts
Borussia Dortmund full-back Julian Ryerson suffered an unusual kit malfunction during BVB's 1-0 Bundesliga victory against VfB Stuttgart. Midway through the second half, the Norwegian international engaged in a physical duel with Stuttgart winger Jamie Leweling. As Leweling fell to the turf, he grabbed hold of Ryerson's shorts, completely tearing the outer seam apart and leaving the fabric hanging loose.
Ryerson initially attempted to carry on playing by knotting the shredded material at his hip. After repeatedly signaling toward the bench that the damaged kit could not hold up, he eventually made his way to the sideline. Second-choice goalkeeper Alexander Meyer rushed over to hand him a fresh pair, resulting in a brief moment where Ryerson was left in his base-layer yellow undershorts before donning the replacement gear and re-entering the pitch.
The incident has brought Puma's kit durability back under scrutiny. The German brand constructs its authentic elite kits using lightweight Ultraweave performance fabric, prioritizing minimal weight and high breathability. However, the delicate material has repeatedly faced criticism among supporters after tearing in high-intensity tussles, with Ryerson's mishap marking another visible tear on the Bundesliga stage this 26-27 season.
Monterrey Debuts Special Coca-Cola 100th Anniversary Kit Font
CF Monterrey sported a special commemorative nameset on their 26-27 Puma home kit during their Liga MX match against Cruz Azul at Estadio BBVA. The bespoke squad numbers and lettering were created in collaboration with longtime club partner Coca-Cola to celebrate the company's 100th anniversary in Mexico (1926-2026).
The font features an eye-catching textured look inspired by traditional Mexican artisan beadwork. Rendered in a bold red base adorned with intricate white, green, and red jewel-like accents reflecting the national flag, each number also integrates a subtle Rayados crest at the base. Positioned neatly above the numbers is the official red Coca-Cola 100 México anniversary script and lockup.
Alongside its on-pitch appearance with the first team, the commemorative nameset was released as an exclusive collector's edition. Only 100 supporters were given the opportunity to customize their 26-27 home shirt with the special font directly at the official Estadio BBVA club store.
Match-Worn Harry Kane Bayern Munich Kit Cut Up for Rare Topps Cards
Trading card manufacturer Topps has revealed a set of four ultra-rare trading cards created by cutting up a match-worn Harry Kane Bayern Munich jersey. Released as part of the 2025-26 Topps Museum Collection UEFA Club Competitions series, the cards take the striker's match-worn nameplate and divide it into four individual one-of-one collectibles.
Each card in the Museum Nameplate Relics subset houses a single letter from Kane's surname: "K", "A", "N", and "E". Embedded in a dedicated display window alongside a photo of Kane in Bayern colors, the fabric swatches highlight the cream-colored knit and deep red lettering from a Bayern kit, marked with official "Match-Worn Memorabilia" certification and UEFA Champions League branding.
While relic cards featuring match-worn gear have been popular in the hobby for years, deconstructing entire match-worn shirts to create cards regularly divides opinions among kit collectors who would rather see historic shirts preserved intact.
For high-end card enthusiasts, however, piecing together all four separate 1/1 cards to rebuild the complete nameplate is set to be one of the rarest pursuits in the collection.