Illustration by ESPN
Aug 5, 2022

During the past few weeks, clubs in England's top flight have unveiled their new kits for the upcoming season.

As always, inspiration has come from far and wide, with some teams looking into their past in search of design ideas, others looking to the future, and still others just staring out to sea.

There is a guide to all the home, away and third alternate jerseys that each club has available for the upcoming season. The delays in manufacturing and distribution caused by strict COVID-19 restrictions in Asia have hit some clubs hard. In countries where many replica football shirts are made, there are delays in global manufacturing and shipping. Some clubs can't make their kits available to fans before the season starts.

We ranked each club's effort by their collective output, from the worst to the best, based on the uniform they wore.

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20. Wolverhampton Wanderers (Castore)

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The Wolves' gold-and-black jersey is almost completely different from the one they wore last season. It's almost impossible to be excited about a sport.

๐Ÿš€ @pedrolneto7

Pre-order ๐Ÿ‘‰ https://t.co/rWZCoWK0ze pic.twitter.com/nvVamRp7x3

โ€” Wolves (@Wolves) July 8, 2022

The geometric design of the away kit is inspired by the angles and architecture of the stadium.

19. Leicester City (Adidas)

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This fairly ordinary template kit from Adidas is elevated slightly by the retro oversized collar and golden club crest, which is a reminder that the Foxes were champion of England.

It is yet to be released away.

Making a statement ๐ŸฆŠ#lcfc // @adidasUK // #CreateIconic pic.twitter.com/DPO09vpvAh

โ€” Leicester City (@LCFC) July 30, 2022

The third shirt is mostly white with pale golden sleeves. The maroon trim is a nod to the away kit Brendan Rodgers' side wore when they lifted the FA Cup for the first time in their history.

18. Leeds United (Adidas)

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The resemblance between the 1972 FA Cup-winning kit and the current one is very tenuous. It's nice, but what we're looking at is a plain template kit in white, blue and yellow.

๐Ÿ”ฅ New season, fresh look! pic.twitter.com/l2yasfkYWL

โ€” Leeds United (@LUFC) August 3, 2022

You could question how modern and cutting edge a splotchy tie-dye shirt really is in 2022.

17. Aston Villa (Castore)

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There is a limit to how much kit producers can modify the traditional format of Villa's claret and blue. It is nice to see a raised club crest on the chest instead of a cheap vinyl transfer, and the subtle pattern is a nice touch.

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Again, standard stuff from Villa. The away kit is similar to last season's design with a blue base.

16. Fulham (Adidas)

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The launch of the home kit was delayed by several weeks due to global supply issues, but they were able to unveil it just in time. The results are expected. A white shirt with black stripes is standard, but there is a red wave pattern on the collar and cuffs inspired by the RiverThames.

All the details. ๐Ÿ˜

Including a detailed modern interpretation of the Craven Cottage brickwork panelled across the front of the body. #FFC pic.twitter.com/13vMi4sZY2

โ€” Fulham Football Club (@FulhamFC) July 29, 2022

The brickwork of the Grade II-listed Craven Cottage building that sits in the corner of their stadium inspired the turquoise and navy away kit. The garish effect looks like a generic goalkeeper kit instead of a tribute to their unique home.

15. Brentford (Umbro)

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The home kit will be rolled over into a second season in order to pass savings on to their fans and to help the environment. On both counts, it was a wonderful gesture.

David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images

A new away kit has been launched by the Bees and they will keep it for two seasons. The jersey itself is light blue with a darker "marl" pattern running through it, and capped off with dark blue trim inspired by the geometric patterned shirts worn on the road during the late 1980's and early 90's.

14. Newcastle United (Castore)

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The club's blue away shirt features a golden linear print that is similar to the roof of the stadium.

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In the 1999-00 and 2005-06 seasons, they played in white and green away kits. No official reason has been given for the style choice of the club, but they are back in the same colors as Saudi Arabia.

13. Tottenham Hotspur (Nike)

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The home kit of Spurs barely makes a difference. The white jersey with navy and neon yellow trim is not likely to live long. The cuff taping reverses to reveal the word "Spurs" written in different styles.

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The Spurs' 2022-23 away kit is mostly purple and blue with bright "Volt" flashes on the neckline and sleeve cuffs. The shirt has a faint glow-in-the-dark quality under the lights.

12. Brighton & Hove Albion (Nike)

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The club's second season in the premier league has given them inspiration for their new kit. There is a warm yellow trim to set it all off.

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The design is simple and bright in red and black. A faint "shimmer" effect is created by the different colors used across the torso. It's very similar to the away kit that England's women had in their locker, which is fitting given that the Lionesses' stunning 8-0 group-stage win over Norway and thrilling win against Spain were both hosted at the Amex Stadium.

11. Nottingham Forest (Macron)

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The home kit for Forest is inspired by the Victorian ironwork on Trent Bridge and features a local flavour. Giuseppe Garibaldi helped to unify Italy in the 19th century. After visiting the U.K. in the 1860s, a group of amateur football players adopted his colors for their new club. The club that went on to becomeNottingham Forest still plays in Garibaldi Red.

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The Brazil-esque colors of yellow, blue and a hint of green are back in the away kit for the first time in seven years. The Trent Bridge ironwork theme is used to create an overall design that makes an impact.

A thing of beauty. ๐Ÿ˜

๐ŸŒณ๐Ÿ”ด #NFFC | #PL pic.twitter.com/QfVFeka3X6

โ€” Nottingham Forest FC (@NFFC) August 4, 2022

Forest will be calling on a dark blue third kit that is another with a strong "bus seat" aesthetic thanks to an abstract light blue and coral pattern that has been used by coach manufacturers since the 1980s.

10. AFC Bournemouth (Umbro)

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The Cherries have changed their stripes to create a double zig-zag design that will give them a boost of energy.

Bournemouth's "Jacaranda purple" and "Baja blue" away kit features dappled sunshine and hazy palm leaves that are inspired by the club's seaside surroundings. Roughly 75% of the English football season will be out of place because of the summery weather.

Third kit x Everyone Together ๐Ÿ‘

Our third kit is inspired by our award-winning campaign Everyone Together, which aims to tackle prejudice and promote understanding โค๏ธ pic.twitter.com/MT57R70wKZ

โ€” AFC Bournemouth ๐Ÿ’ (@afcbournemouth) July 12, 2022

Bournemouth's third kit has a tag line "Everyone, Together" A visual metaphor for an in-house campaign designed to promote unity, equality and understanding among all people within the club's wider family is the absence of color.

9. Southampton (Hummel)

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Saints have abandoned their traditional red-and-white stripes in favor of a large central block of red on a white background, inspired by similar kits worn by the club during the 1980's. There is a graphic on the flanks that references the large stanchions on the roof at St Mary's.

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The away kit is a representation of a sea change if the home kit is something different. The design is inspired by the rolling seas off the south coast of England.

Completing the set โœ… pic.twitter.com/zpwbgKk03E

โ€” Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) August 4, 2022

Saints' third kit is said to be inspired by the skies with the dark khaki colour taking inspiration from theRAF planes that were first flown out ofSouthampton.

8. Everton (Hummel)

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The club's blue is inspired by the small stone building found on the club's crest. There is a silhouette image of the tower on the nape of the neck as well as the white of the round collar and flank patches.

Brace Hemmelgarn/Everton FC via Getty Images

Hummel's new away kit is inspired by the angle of the roof on Prince Rupert's Tower and has a dreamy effect.

7. Liverpool (Nike)

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The Reds' new home kit is just a plain red-all-over football kit, but the webbed knit of the fabric is delicious. The Egyptian star agreed to a new contract that will keep him at the club for at least a few more years.

Twitter @LFC

It was inspired by the local dance music scene during the 1990s and some of the famous nightclubs of the era. The graphic is meant to look like strobing laser lights being distorted across a hazy dance floor. It feels like a big night out.

6. West Ham United (Umbro)

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The shirt worn by Billy Bonds' promotion-winning side of 1992-93 is an homage to the speckled "graffiti" shoulder panels. The fact that the Hammers were demoted to the First Division the previous season while wearing the same kit is not a big deal.

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The design is made for the big moments, according to the club. The jersey bears a jaunty graphic that is inspired by the area of East London that used to be home to the old Thames Ironworks, which later became West ham United.

5. Chelsea (Nike)

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Ted Drake introduced the heraldic "lion rampant regardant" symbol to the world in1953. Drake's crest was changed many times during the second half of the 20th century, only to be reestablished in 2005 as part of the club's 100th anniversary celebrations. There are elements of the lion in the collar graphic.

A message from Marc! ๐Ÿ‘‹ #CucurellaIsChelsea pic.twitter.com/Gm2l7WF5Q7

โ€” Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) August 5, 2022

After weeks of delay caused by global supply issues, Chelsea pulled off a canny marketing ploy by subtly revealing their away kit. The Spanish left-back gave an introductory message to Blues fans while wearing the new jersey with a pearl white banded pattern with teal stripes and navy trim.

4. Crystal Palace (Macron)

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Palace are always willing to give their red-and-blue stripes a new look with diagonal, pinstripe and faded patterns. The stripes are given a new look thanks to a graphic that creates a lively effect. The point is that it's a bit messy.

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The away jersey is based on the graffiti theme and features a column of red-and-blue squiggles in the center of a white background.

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The away kit of the season in which Palace returned to the premier league after eight years away was referred to as the "evil sash" by the fans. In the last game of the season at Selhurst Park, the Eagles came back from three goals down to draw with the Reds and extend their opponents' wait for a win.

3. Arsenal (Adidas)

Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC

A new kit inspired by their regalia of old with a retro "lightning bolt" on the collar and big blocks of white on the sleeves was created by the club.

Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC

It's perfect for chasing that third-place finish. The shirt is inspired by the large concrete letters that spell out "ARSENAL" on the concourse outside the stadium. The kit was launched by the club with the help of an activist who wore a jersey at a protest.

Arsenal FC

The third kit is fresh and funky in rosy pink, the first time the club had used the color as a base for an outfield shirt.

2. Manchester City (Puma)

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The golden era of the late 1960s and early '70s is what inspired the home and away shirts for the 2022-23 kit. The home shirt is sky blue with a marron trim and a centralised badges, similar to the jersey that Bell and his friends wore while winning two league titles, the FA Cup, two League Cups and the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup.

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The City away kit of 1968-1970 is the inspiration for the red-and-black diagonal stripes. The red-and-black stripes have been changed at least once a decade from the 1980s to the present, either as an away or third strip.

Puma

According to Puma, the first kit to be unveiled in the Metaverse is a modern homage to the famous Mancunian worker bee. As such, we are treated to a hi-vis yellow number with thick dark bands across the abdomen that in turn are supposed to look like spray paint, giving a further tip of the hat to local street artists.

1. Manchester United (Adidas)

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Home evokes the style of those United fan favourite home jerseys of the early 1990s. The shield crest is reminiscent of some of the kits worn by Eric Cantona in his collar-popping prime, which is a good thing.

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Many designs have been used over the years for United's away kits, with white being a popular choice. The team hasn't played in white on the road in over two years. The new shirt is very similar to the vintage kits of the mid-1970s and '80s.