2023-24 Kit Releases: How Teams Announced their New Jerseys

Soccer jerseys are no longer just for the players and passionate fans. They are now an item of clothing desired even by those who do not follow the game. The rise in popularity of soccer kits has led clubs to unveil them as soon as their league competitions are over, and on some occasions, in significant ways. 

Many clubs like to incorporate their history and culture which includes the fans and the city. Italian club Venezia FC released a pre-match jersey designed to be “a tribute from the club to the soul of the city inspired by its people.” As a celebration of the Venetian lifestyle, this kit appeals to fans of the team as well as people looking for a cool, fashion-forward jersey. If you don’t remember, Venezia seemingly relaunched their new brand and vision to the world of soccer for the 2021-22 season with updated kits using lavish backdrops, a stellar design, and an unknown Instagram model that led to unparalleled demand.

From musical artists to influencers and passionate fans to star players, we’re highlighting some of the exciting new kit releases from European soccer teams ahead of the 2023-24 season.

From Glastonbury to Allen Iverson

Two days before Manchester United’s official kit launch (June 27, 2023), rapper Aitch sported the team’s kit at his performance at Glastonbury Festival, the world’s largest outdoor music event. With the name Big Shell and the number 40 on his back, the Manchester rapper proudly showed off one of the team’s home kits for next season.

Days later, Manchester United posted Aitch wearing the unreleased shirt at Glastonbury.

The connection between the new ‘Red Devils’ kit and pop culture doesn’t end there. On April 23, 2001, Philadelphia 76ers legend Allen Iverson posed for Sports Illustrated magazine in one of the most iconic photographs in sports history. Twenty-two years later, Manchester United’s star forward Marcus Rashford paid tribute to the legendary basketball player by mimicking his style while unveiling the team’s new kit.

Social media plays center stage for kit releases

Instagram & TikTok Trends

Dances, challenges, funny edits…Short-form video platforms are rife with content that goes viral. Keeping up with the latest trends is reflected in engagements and video views. For example, Everton used a popular TikTok sound to show off their new kit earning 221,000 video views and 17,000 engagements.

FC Barcelona used a handful of their players in a TikTok, including Robert Lewandowski, Pedri, Jules Kounde, and Alejandro Balde. The players gave the camera a side eye which is a current and popular TikTok trend.

Leveraging Influencers

An increasing number of sports teams are embracing influencer marketing to tap into creators’ vast audiences. Popular streamers such as DjMariiO and former player Kun Agüero have taken to their streaming platforms to showcase the official kits of Real Madrid and Manchester City to their millions of followers.

FIFA streamer DjMariiO did an unboxing of the new Real Madrid home kit.

Legendary former Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero showed off Man City’s new 2023-24 kit. Aguero is Manchester City’s all-time scorer with 260 goals.

Chicago native and content creator Kacey Anderson wore Manchester City’s 2023-24 goalkeeper jersey.

How culture & tradition encapsulate kits

Brands try to reflect the identity of their clubs in the kits they sponsor. Clubs do the same by using the best-known corners of their city to show off their new kits and excite fans. 

UD Las Palmas, located in the Canary Islands, used the country’s landscape to show off their new 2023-24 kit.

AC Milan presented their new kit by featuring Milanese people and landmarks.

Another way clubs show off their new kit is by incorporating culture and tradition. A prime example of this is our friends at West Ham United. For the 2023-24 season, West Ham unveiled their “Bubbles Edition” kit highlighting a team tradition: For almost a century, West Ham fans have sung the song ‘I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles’. Before each game, West Ham fans sing the tune while a bubble machine blows bubbles onto the field. The song and tradition has become so synonymous with the club that they decided to incorporate bubbles into their home kit for 2023-24. Grant Russell, West Ham’s Marketing Lead, wrote more about the jersey release here. 

Star Players

When a team uses their star players to promote a new kit, it’s reliable, effective, and valuable. Many soccer players have millions of followers while some have more followers than their respective teams. Fans appreciate following their favorite players and seeing a new jersey — which gets them excited for the upcoming season and drives them to purchase the kit. Here are a few European soccer stars who unveiled their teams kits:

Newcastle star Bruno Guimaraes wore the club’s new kit while urging fans to purchase it online.

Aston Villa Captain John McGinn and forward Ollie Watkins showed off the new claret and sky blue jerseys for the 2023-24 season.

Chelsea FC’s Mykhailo Mudryk, Ben Chillwell, Raheem Sterling, Enzo Fernandez, and Reece James were featured in this Instagram post introducing Chelsea’s new 90’s inspired home kit.

Rangers FC men’s and women’s players Nico Raskin, Brogan Hay, Todd Cantwell, Rachel McLauchlan, and James Tavernier showed off their new kits with front of jersey sponsor Unibet and kit apparel maker Castore.

With many of Europe’s premier soccer leagues starting back up again soon, we are excited to see these jerseys in action. We love seeing clubs incorporate their history, their fans, and their cities into their kits, and we look even more forward to tracking these kits throughout the upcoming season.

Use Blinkfire to track your club’s jersey

With European soccer returning soon, make sure you’re tracking your club’s kit sponsors. Blinkfire is our all-in-one solutions to track, value, and report on sponsorship and inventory.