England supporters face paying inflation-busting £95 for an adult replica shirt as the World Cup approaches, according to market research by Dr Peter Rohlmann, an analyst specialising in football merchandise. Nike, which outfits England, France and Brazil, charges the highest prices among major brands, with adult replica shirts costing €110 (£95) on average.
Adidas, dressing Spain, Germany and Scotland, charges €100 for adult replicas, while Puma, kit supplier for Portugal, matches that price. For children's shirts, Nike leads at €85, followed by Puma at €80 and Adidas at €75. In the UK, an adult England replica shirt costs £90, compared to £75 for Scotland's Adidas strip. The match shirts, worn by players, cost £135 for England and £120 for Scotland.
Rohlmann estimates that fans will buy between 18 million and 23 million shirts for this tournament, with Adidas, Nike and Puma accounting for nearly 80% of sales. This would surpass the 14.4 million shirts sold for the 2022 Qatar World Cup, reflecting football's growing popularity. However, the average price of an adult stadium shirt has risen 53% since 2010, from €65 to €100 today.
For England fans, prices have surged from £45 in 2010 to £75 in 2022 and now £90. Rohlmann says shirt prices have "risen much faster and proportionally more sharply" than the general cost of living, accusing brands of "ruthlessly exploiting" fans' loyalty. Nike acknowledged that "any kit price increase matters to fans" and cited rising material, manufacturing and logistics costs. Adidas said its pricing reflects "technology, development, and materials" and that it continues to minimise the impact of rising costs.
High prices are driving some fans to counterfeit shirts. KitLegit, an AI-powered authentication app, estimates 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 clone websites offering "official product at a slightly reduced cost" but delivering counterfeits at inflated prices. Rohlmann cautioned that buying fakes can lead to non-delivery, poor quality, or unexpected customs fees.
