Common kit types

Not all legitimate football kits are created equal. From replicas sold in stores to exclusive kitroom pieces worn by players, understanding the different types of shirts can help you know exactly what you're buying or collecting.

Below is a breakdown of the most common types of genuine football kits, what sets them apart, and what to look out for.

Replica

Also known as a fan version. These are the most commonly available shirts; the ones sold at club stores, major retailers, and online shops for fans to wear. They're designed for comfort, affordability, and mass production.

Characteristics:

• Looser fit
• Slightly heavier material
• Embroidered or heat-applied crest and logos
• Includes swing tags and standard retail packaging
• Washable and built for regular wear

Authentic

Sometimes labeled "player spec" or "stadium/player version," these are designed to match what the players wear on the pitch, but are still sold to the public through retail. Not to be confused with player-issue kits (see below).

Characteristics:

• Slimmer, athletic fit
• Lighter, high-tech materials
• Heat-applied crest and logos
• Laser-cut ventilation holes
• Higher price point
• Sometimes features special jock tag (gold/silver for Nike, for example)

These are typically the top-spec retail items, but have never been assigned to a player or club. When looking for product codes online, these kits are still fairly common to find.

Player-issue

Player-issue kits are garments that were produced for use by professional players, but may or may not have actually been worn in a match. These are usually sourced from surplus, stores, collectors, or backchannels.

Characteristics:

• Same specs as authentic kits, or even stricter standards
• No swing tags (or store-specific ones if sold at retail)
• Often includes unique internal codes, factory labels, or squad customization
• Sometimes batch-marked or tagged for kitmen

These kits can be extremely close to match-worn shirts in construction but lack use history or authentication. When looking for the product-codes online, you may not get any results.

Kitroom issue

These are shirts prepared and distributed within the club, often held in reserve or used in training. They're not sold to the public and often have unique markers.

Characteristics:

• Custom labeling or internal tags
• Lack of retail branding or tags
• Size codes for players only
• Could be identical to match-worn kits in every way

These are highly collectible due to rarity, even if not worn on-pitch. When looking for the product-codes online, you may not get any results.

Match-worn

These are the real deal: shirts that have been worn in an actual match by a professional player.

Characteristics:

• Specific match or player customization
• Authentication from club, collector, or COA (Certificate of Authenticity)
• May include official match patches, unique printing, or one-off detailing
• Possible visible signs of wear (grass stains, damage, etc.)

Match-worn shirts are prized by collectors and often fetch the highest prices. When looking for the product-codes online, you may not get any results.

Samples

Sample shirts are pre-production prototypes created by manufacturers for internal testing, promotional use, or early approvals. They’re not intended for public sale but sometimes find their way into circulation through collectors, outlets, or club clearances.

Characteristics:

• May include “SAMPLE” printed inside
• Sometimes missing official branding, sponsor logos, or tags
• May differ subtly (or significantly) from final released versions
• Often lack a retail product code or use placeholder codes
• Rare and sometimes collectible due to their uniqueness

These shirts offer a behind-the-scenes look at the production process — think of them as a kit’s rough draft.

Conclusion

All of the above shirt types can be genuine and legitimate; the difference is in how they're used, produced, and distributed. Whether you're a collector, reseller, or fan, knowing what kind of shirt you're dealing with helps avoid overpaying or misrepresenting your item.

Remember: just because something isn't match-worn doesn't mean it isn't authentic. And not every player-issue shirt needs to have grass stains to be worth collecting.