England is one of the nations with jerseys provided via Nike. (Photo by Eddie Keogh – The FA/The FA via Getty Images)
The FA via Getty Images
With the 2026 FIFA World Cup imminent, sportswear giants are preparing for what should be one of the most lucrative merchandise events in soccer’s history and a global showcase for new national team kits from Nike, Adidas and Puma.
But there is a growing challenge that could disrupt the traditional playbook for tournament merchandise sales as fans increasingly turn to retro shirts.
Demand for vintage and second-hand soccer shirts has exploded. What was once a niche collectors’ market has become a mainstream fashion category, fueled by social media, sustainability, nostalgia and a younger generation that views jerseys as lifestyle apparel rather than simply sports merchandise.
The result is that many supporters arriving at World Cup matches in 2026 or watching from home may be wearing shirts from previous tournaments rather than the latest official releases.
Vintage jerseys from the 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s now command premium prices on resale platforms. Shirts associated with iconic moments — such as Argentina’s 1986 World Cup triumph, Brazil’s 1998 campaign, England’s Italia ’90 run or France’s 1998 victory — have become highly sought-after collectibles.
The market has been helped by the emergence of specialist retailers such as Classic Football Shirts, which has transformed soccer-shirt collecting into a global business. The company now ships jerseys worldwide and has collaborated directly with clubs, brands and players.
Gen X And Gen Z Love The 1990s
Online marketplaces including eBay, Depop and Vinted have further democratized the market, making rare shirts accessible to a broader audience. At the same time, soccer shirts have become increasingly visible in mainstream fashion. Celebrities, musicians and influencers regularly wear vintage jerseys in social media posts, while luxury brands have incorporated football-inspired designs.
And for younger consumers, a retro shirt often carries more cultural value than the latest official release. Many fans attending matches in Los Angeles, New York, Dallas and Miami will likely wear vintage jerseys from the 1994 tournament in the U.S. Shirts worn by the United States, Mexico, Germany and Nigeria during the 1990s are already among the most searched-for items on resale platforms.
“We seem to be in a 30-year fashion cycle at the moment, meaning the 1990s are especially popular for retro jerseys, and lots of the current kits are reflecting that and tapping into that nostalgia. Other kits, like Mexico’s, also play on the country’s heritage,” EY Global Consumer Senior Analyst Jon Copestake said.
“What we are seeing is much more of a blending of kits and streetwear, so the jersey becomes the central piece for the streetwear merchandise, which has also been expanded to have far more aparel for women as the popularity of the game has picked up hugely among females. These designs again often reflect nostalgia but also connect with newer generations through collaborations with social media influencers, musicians and so on,” he added.
Brands Leverage Streetwear Crossover
One company leveraging the intersection of football culture and streetwear, the U.K.’s Corteiz launched its Rules The World Cup Tour collection of soccer-inspired jerseys and tracksuits representing 11 nations, from England and France to Ghana, Mexico and the U.S. with an ambitious six-week, 11-city global tour.
Meanwhile, Fanatics, the official retail partner for England, opened a pop-up England store on London’s famous Carnaby Street on 21 May featuring England kits, merchandise and limited-edition releases throughout much of the tournament.
Retro shirts from the 1994 torunament are expected to be among those in highest demand. (AP-Photo/str/Thomas Kienzle)
Copyright 1994 AP. All rights reserved.
Sportswear companies are not standing still. Adidas has enjoyed considerable success with retro-inspired collections, including reissues of classic national team apparel and heritage-focused ranges. Several recent launches have intentionally referenced iconic designs from previous decades.
Nike has adopted similar strategies, drawing on historic aesthetics and archival logos to create products that blend nostalgia with modern performance technology. Puma has also expanded its lifestyle and heritage offerings, recognizing that consumers increasingly buy football apparel for everyday wear.
World Cup Key For Brands
The tournament arrives at a pivotal moment. Adidas continues to enjoy strong momentum, posting 7% revenue growth in the first quarter, while Nike is working to reignite growth after reporting flat revenues.
Adidas has leaned heavily into football heritage through its Backyard Legends campaign, a cinematic short film featuring actor Timothée Chalamet alongside stars including Lamine Yamal, Jude Bellingham and Trinity Rodman. The campaign celebrates football culture through a blend of nostalgia, street football and sporting icons including David Beckham, Zinedine Zidane and Lionel Messi.
The campaign has been supported by retro national team jersey reissues, a Bad Bunny footwear collaboration and a range of digital activations designed to deepen fan engagement.
“Everyone remembers that feeling: playing for the joy of it, no pressure, no expectations,” said Florian Alt, VP of global brand communications at Adidas.
Nike, meanwhile, has opted for a six-minute Rip the Script film which sees stars including Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior reject the conventions of traditional football advertising, creating a fast-paced narrative packed with celebrity cameos and cultural references.
“We didn’t want to follow the traditional marketing playbook,” Helena Thornton, VP of Nike global brand management said. “We wanted to give them something worth talking about, worth clipping, worth wearing, worth showing up to.”
The lesson is clear: if fans want vintage, brands may need to lean into that desire for authenticity according to Copestake.
“Immediately ahead of the tournament, a lot of the headlines have been negative, from high ticket prices to soft hotel demand and then also the challenges around people arriving in the U.S. But once the tournament begins, it’s likely that the games will takeover the attention. In 1994 there was an expectation that the tournament would not be a success, but actually the U.S. embraced it,” he noted.
“The U.S. is such a huge retail market that the success of otherwise of this World Cup is unlikely to have a huge long-term impact, but the locations that stand to gain most are some of the smaller city venues like Dallas, Philadelphia and Kansas City, where many retailers and F&B outlets should see a positive impact,” he said. “Mexico and Canada are likely to see a more direct commercial boost and both are seeing it as an opportunity to showcase their countries.”