Overview
- Two recent rankings — The Independent and The Sporting News as published by Yahoo — both praised Sunderland, Liverpool and Hull for kits that lean on historic styles and careful detailing.
- The Independent crowned Arsenal’s away shirt as its top pick while The Sporting News/Yahoo made Fulham’s checkerboard away kit their number one, highlighting an editorial split over what counts as the season’s best.
- Reviewers repeatedly criticised AFC Bournemouth’s design for the season, saying the oversized red Vitality sponsor logo and black framing overpower the intended colours and patterns.
- Newcastle’s 26/27 home shirt drew strong negative reaction for dropping the club’s traditional black-and-white stripes in favour of a barcode-like pattern that reviewers said undermines club identity.
- Kits unveiled between May and August influence fan sentiment and merchandise sales, with retro, sponsor-free choices likely to boost appeal and bold sponsor treatments likely to reduce perceived design value.