England supporters face paying inflation-busting prices for World Cup replica shirts, with Nike charging £90 for an adult stadium shirt and £135 for the match version worn by players. The cost is £15 more than Scotland's Adidas kit, which costs £75 for a replica and £120 for the match shirt.
According to Dr Peter Rohlmann, an analyst specialising in football merchandise, the average price for an adult stadium shirt across all teams has risen 53% since the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, from €65 to €100. For England fans, the price has doubled from £45 in 2010 to £90 now, with a sharp increase from £75 in 2022.
Nike defended the price hike, stating it regularly reviews product costs to balance rising material, manufacturing, and logistics costs while delivering performance and innovation. Adidas said its pricing reflects technology and development, and it minimises the impact of rising costs on consumers.
The high prices are driving fans towards counterfeit shirts, with KitLegit, an AI-powered authentication app, estimating that 30-40% of shirts in circulation are fake. Co-founder Ben Houston warned that some consumers are knowingly buying fakes, while others are duped by rogue websites offering apparent discounts.
Rohlmann described the price increases as a “ruthless exploitation” of fans' loyalty, noting that shirt sales for this tournament are expected to reach 18-23 million, surpassing the 14.4 million sold for the 2022 Qatar World Cup.
