Fake

Counterfeit kit manufacturers are known for stealing fan concepts and turning them into physical shirts, but a recent Crystal Palace bootleg has taken an unusually strange turn. An original third kit concept created by digital designer @concept_kits_ was brought into production by fakers and recently spotted being worn by a fan in photos shared across Crystal Palace's official social media channels.

Originally published in April 2026, the concept kit features a deep navy base with thin red and blue pinstripes, classic gold TDK sponsor lettering, a gold monochrome club crest, and a gold Macron logo to reflect Palace's official technical partnership. However, when bootleggers adapted the design to produce it, they replaced the Macron branding with a gold Adidas logo and wordmark.

The designer reacted on X after discovering the bootleg being worn in public, noting with dry humor that at least someone was making money off his work.

Tennis legend Rafael Nadal was recently spotted wearing a counterfeit version of the Spain 2026 World Cup home kit. The image, which originally surfaced ahead of the 2026 World Cup final, quickly went viral on social media as fans reacted to the wealthy sports star opting for a fake jersey.

The picture of Nadal wearing the counterfeit Adidas Spain 2026 kit highlights the widespread popularity of fake football shirts, which have become increasingly ubiquitous among fans and high-profile celebrities alike.

It remains to be seen whether Nadal purchased the shirt himself or if it was gifted to him, but the viral moment has sparked a larger conversation about the prevalence of counterfeit football kits and their acceptance in mainstream culture.

German club TSG Hoffenheim has taken a humorous approach to address a growing trend on social media involving the promotion of counterfeit football shirts. The club's official account posted a sarcastic message mimicking the exact language used by accounts that advertise fake kits. The post claimed to have found a really cool site for authentic shirts of top quality and insisted the endorsement was entirely voluntary, before directing users to a link in the replies.

Instead of linking to a counterfeit retailer, Hoffenheim's reply simply provided the URL to their official club shop. The joke directly targets a widespread practice on social media where various football-focused accounts promote unauthorized replica stores. In exchange for posting these scripted advertisements, the account owners typically receive a small number of free fake kits, valued at around 35 Euros, rather than monetary compensation.

The official store of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) has experienced an embarrassing glitch, as its AI-powered chatbot is reportedly advising fans to purchase counterfeit Spain national team jerseys instead of the official merchandise.

A viral post by X user @Free_y_thinker highlighted the issue, sharing a screenshot of the chatbot recommending a fake jersey as a better and cheaper alternative to the official kits. The post quickly gained massive traction with nearly a million views, prompting other users to share their own bizarre interactions with the shop.rfef.es AI, which included further recommendations for fakes, specific unauthorized sellers, and even seemingly random Python code. This incident highlights the potential pitfalls of implementing AI customer service without strict guardrails.