• University of Europe for Applied Sciences (UE) analyses the World Cup shirts of all 48 qualified national teams
• Most common kit suppliers among World Cup qualifiers: Nike, Adidas and Puma
• Cheapest shirt in the analysis: around €32 (Jordan, Kelme)

Berlin, 3 May 2026 – The average price of an official national team shirt for this year’s FIFA World Cup is around €104. The gap between the cheapest and most expensive jersey is almost €128. These are the findings of a new analysis by the University of Europe for Applied Sciences (UE), which recorded and compared the official retail prices and manufacturers of the home and away shirts of all 48 qualified national teams as part of the “Football Management” specialisation within its Sport Management degree programme.

What World Cup shirts cost on average: from €32 to €160

A look at average prices for replica shirts shows that Nike shirts are the most expensive, at around €109.99, followed by Adidas at approximately €100. Puma models come in just below this, averaging €99.95. These prices are broadly consistent regardless of whether the teams are from Europe, South America, Africa or Asia.

Prices from other manufacturers start considerably lower. The cheapest shirt in the analysis is made by Kelme for Jordan and costs around €32. Shirts for Paraguay (€51) and DR Congo (around €57) also come in well below the global average.

At the upper end of the price range are “Authentic” shirts. These are more expensive than replica versions because they are the close-fitting, higher-specification shirts designed to be worn by professional players on the pitch, whereas replica versions feature a more conventional fit and are manufactured to different specifications. Visually, however, the two versions are virtually identical. Authentic Adidas shirts cost an average of €150, while Nike charges €159.99 and Puma is at a similar level at around €149.95.

Adidas, Nike and Puma dominate the World Cup kit market

Together, Nike, Adidas and Puma supply more than three-quarters of all national teams that have qualified for the World Cup. Adidas has the largest presence, supplying 14 teams, followed by Nike with twelve and Puma with eleven. The remaining teams wear kits supplied by Marathon, Kelme, Umbro, Kappa, Capelli, Seata and Reebok.

Many of the most successful and internationally prominent national teams rely on the global market leaders. Spain, Germany, Argentina and Mexico, for example, will take to the pitch in Adidas kits. The Netherlands, England, Brazil and co-hosts USA are supplied by Nike, while Morocco, Portugal and Senegal wear Puma.

The results at a glance:

“The price differences between World Cup shirts are not driven by production costs, but by deliberate brand strategies. Major kit suppliers such as Nike and Adidas factor in the global appeal of individual teams and the size and loyalty of their fan bases: they know that supporters of leading football nations are generally willing to pay more. Successful teams with a strong international profile are consistently supplied by these global sportswear giants. Germany and Argentina, for example, wear Adidas shirts, while England and Brazil are supplied by Nike. This illustrates just how closely sporting success, international visibility and brand partnerships are interconnected. The last World Cup final in Qatar in 2022 even became a showdown between the two leading sportswear brands, with Adidas – represented by Argentina – prevailing over Nike and France.

At the same time, design is becoming an increasingly important competitive factor. Debates around fit or distinctive designs demonstrate just how sensitive the market is to details. For brands, the World Cup is therefore not only a sporting stage but also a global visual showcase. Football shirts have long since become more than functional sportswear: they serve as emotional and style-defining brand symbols whose success depends heavily on perception and presentation. One example is Germany’s pink-and-purple away shirt for UEFA Euro 2024, which broke sales records even before it was worn in a match,” says Gerald Fritz, Professor of Sports Marketing at the University of Europe for Applied Sciences.

About the analysis

The analysis recorded the official retail prices of the home and away shirts of all 48 national teams qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. It was based on publicly available pricing information from manufacturers’ websites and official retail platforms. Prices listed in foreign currencies were converted into euros using the exchange rate applicable at the time the data was collected. Teams for which no pricing information was available were excluded from the calculation of average prices.

At the time of data collection, no sufficiently reliable official pricing information was available for Iran, Uzbekistan, Iraq and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Cape Verde’s shirts had already been unveiled, but no reliable retail prices were yet available. Similarly, no confirmed official retail data was available for Curaçao’s home shirt; as a result, only the away shirt was included in the analysis.

About the University of Europe for Applied Sciences (UE)

The University of Europe for Applied Sciences (UE) offers Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programmes as well as dual Bachelor’s and MBA programmes. UE has received institutional accreditation from the German Council of Science and Humanities (Wissenschaftsrat) for the maximum period of ten years and holds system accreditation from FIBAA.

The university has twice received the German Education Award (Deutscher Bildungs-Award), while its practice-oriented dual study programmes have also been recognised among Germany’s “Best Providers of Dual Study Programmes” by STERN. UE is part of GUS Germany GmbH (GGG), a network of educational institutions with more than 18,000 students at locations across Germany, Europe and beyond. UE currently has around 7,800 students from 143 countries.