In Ireland, we like a new kit more often than not (and everyone else...)

In the past 10 years, Ireland have brought out more new outfield shirts than our WOrld Cup group rivals Hungary and this week's play-off opponents Czechia combined.

PUT YOUR SHIRT ON IT: We're world leaders when it comes to bringing out new international home and away jerseys

With the World Cup play-offs this week, Ireland can still dream of a place alongside the game’s great superpowers in the USA, Canada and Mexico this summer. The knockouts may determine whether we pave the road to the World Cup in green but we are already streets ahead of our illustrious counterparts in one particular department: bringing out new football shirts.

The release of new Castore home and away kits earlier this year brings the Boys in Green’s tally to 20 outfield strips since 2017, significantly more than England (11), France (12), Spain (11), Argentina (15) and Brazil (12) over the same period.

As they broadly stick to two-year jersey cycles, the major nations don’t come close to Ireland’s prolific output over the course of the past decade. The FAI have brought at least one outfield jersey to market in each of the past 10 years.

According to information available on the online jersey database FootballKitArchive.com, Albania (21), Azerbaijan (19), Denmark (19) and Kosovo (19) are the only UEFA nations to rival Ireland’s shirt total since 2017.

In the past 10 years, Ireland have almost brought out as many new outfield shirts (20) as their last opponents Hungary and their next opponents Czechia combined (21).

Near neighbours Northern Ireland (10), Scotland (11) and Wales (11) have released roughly half as many shirts as the Irish.

The average number of new outfield shirts for UEFA nations since 2017 is 11.4 – a little over half Ireland’s total.

It would be very difficult to argue that this volume of new playing gear is actually necessary on a purely practical level. Excluding the new home and away kit, and the black third kit which was released prior to Christmas, they have released new jerseys at a rate of one for every five fixtures.

In reality, the explanation for this abundance of shirts likely boils down to cold, hard cash. The FAI’s financial difficulties have been well documented in recent years – towards the end of 2025 it was reported that Irish football’s governing body was still around €40 million in debt.

The sale of merchandise generates much-needed revenue for the Association, and releasing new gear no doubt provides a boost in this regard.

The new green and white shirts are retailing at €85 for kids and €105 to €145 for adults. These prices have been criticised by supporters but the cost of the adult tops is pretty much in line with national shirts manufactured by Adidas and Nike, for example.

The €85 price tag for kids is comparatively steep, however. The new England version is €75 for kids, while Northern Ireland fans can pick up a new children’s jersey for around €63 (€22 cheaper).

(All prices taken from nations’ own official stores and correct as of March 23rd 2026.) Ireland’s long-standing and unusual practice of exhibiting a front-of-shirt sponsor on replica shirts is also designed to bring in extra coin. FIFA do not allow countries to display such branding in-game and other national shirts are invariably sold to fans without it, but Ireland have gone against the grain in this regard for the better part of 40 years.

Though selling this ad space might be profitable (the current deal with Sky is reportedly worth up to €8 million over four years), it doesn’t seem to be all that popular with Ireland’s loyal supporters. At an away fixture against Finland in 2024, two fans went viral when they were spotted wearing Ireland shirts with the Sky logo removed and the words ‘DODGY BOX’ and ‘FIRE STICK’ printed on instead, a pointed reference to devices that can be used to illegally stream paid TV networks (such as Sky).

Some fans now favour vintage, retro or counterfeit gear over official merch, but sales of the new Castore jerseys could skyrocket if Heimir Hallgrímsson’s in-form side successfully navigate the play-offs and qualify for the country’s first World Cup in 24 years.

Number of new outfield shirts released by UEFA and selected non-UEFA teams since 2017: 21 – Albania 20 – Ireland 19 – Azerbaijan, Denmark, Kosovo 18 – Canada, USA 16 – Italy 15 – Argentina, Mexico, Morocco 14 – Georgia, Germany, Ukraine 13 – Armenia, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Japan, Kazakhstan, Portugal, Slovakia 12 – Austria, Brazil, France, Gibraltar, San Marino, Senegal, Wales 11 – Australia, Czechia, England, Greece, Liechtenstein, Norway, Poland, Romania, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland 10 – Andorra, Bulgaria, Croatia, Faroe Islands, Hungary, Iceland, Israel, Jamaica, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Montenegro, Netherlands, Northern Ireland, Serbia, Slovenia, Sweden, Türkiye 9 – Cyprus, Finland, North Macedonia 8 – Belarus, Latvia 7 – Russia 6 – Estonia 5 – Malta 3 – Moldova 

Source: FootballKitArchive.com