Ordering kit for your football club is one of those tasks that sounds straightforward until you’re actually in the middle of it. Suddenly there are fabric choices, sizing charts, customisation options, minimum order quantities, turnaround times, and budget considerations all competing for your attention — and the season starts in six weeks.
Whether you’re kitting out a grassroots youth team, a semi-professional club, or a corporate five-a-side squad, the decisions you make when ordering your football jersey will affect how your team looks, feels, and performs all season long. Getting it right the first time matters — both for your players and your budget.
This guide walks you through every key factor to consider before placing your order, so you can make confident, informed decisions and end up with a kit your whole team is proud to wear.
Table of Contents
1. Fabric Quality: The Foundation of a Great Kit
The fabric is the single most important factor in determining how a football jersey performs on the pitch. Not all polyester is equal — the weave, weight, and finish of the fabric determine how well it manages sweat, holds its shape, and withstands the physical demands of the game.
For match jerseys, look for:
- Moisture-wicking technology: Fabric that actively pulls sweat away from the skin and disperses it across the surface for fast evaporation. This keeps players dry and comfortable, especially in high-intensity matches.
- Lightweight construction: Heavier fabrics add unnecessary weight and restrict movement. Match jerseys should feel almost weightless, allowing full freedom of motion.
- Breathability: Mesh panels or open-weave fabric in high-heat zones (underarms, back) allow airflow and prevent overheating during intense periods of play.
- Wash durability: Club kits go through the washing machine dozens of times per season. Quality fabric retains its colour, shape, and performance properties wash after wash — cheap alternatives fade and stretch quickly.
If you’re ordering training jerseys as well as match kits, a slightly heavier, more durable fabric is acceptable for training wear — it takes more punishment and doesn’t need to be as light as your game-day kit.
2. Fit and Sizing: Getting It Right Across the Whole Squad
Fit is one of the most common pain points in team kit orders. With squads ranging from youth players to adults, and body shapes varying significantly across a team, getting sizing right for everyone requires careful planning.
Here’s how to approach sizing effectively:
- Request a size guide before ordering: A reputable supplier will provide detailed measurements (chest, waist, length) for each size. Don’t rely on generic S/M/L/XL labelling alone — sizing can vary significantly between brands.
- Order a fit sample: If you’re ordering for a large squad, ask for a sample garment in the most common sizes before committing to the full order. This eliminates guesswork and prevents costly returns.
- Consider athletic vs. relaxed fits: Modern match jerseys tend to use a slim, athletic cut that stays close to the body and reduces fabric drag. Some players prefer more room — check whether your supplier offers both fits.
- Youth sizing: If ordering for a junior team, pay close attention to age-based size guides. Children’s proportions differ from adults, so a dedicated youth range will always fit better than simply ordering the smallest adult sizes.
3. Customisation: Making the Kit Yours
A great club kit is more than just a shirt — it’s a statement of identity. Customisation options allow you to translate your club’s colours, badge, and sponsors into a cohesive, professional-looking strip that players are proud to pull on.
Key customisation elements to discuss with your supplier:
- Club colours and design layout: Can the supplier match your exact club colours using Pantone or RAL colour codes? A professional kit supplier should offer precise colour matching rather than approximate alternatives.
- Badge and crest application: Your club badge is the centrepiece of the jersey. Ask whether it will be embroidered, heat-transferred, or sublimation-printed — embroidery typically offers the most durable and premium finish.
- Player names and squad numbers: Sublimation printing or heat-pressed lettering and numbering should be clearly legible from a distance and resistant to cracking or peeling after repeated washing.
- Sponsor logos: If your club carries sponsor branding, ensure the supplier can accommodate logo placement in your preferred locations — front chest, sleeves, or back collar — and that the print quality does justice to your sponsor’s brand.
Suppliers like Gioca specialise in fully custom teamwear, offering clubs the flexibility to design kits from the ground up — with precise colour matching, custom sublimation printing, and professional badge application built into the service. This level of customisation ensures your club’s identity comes through clearly on every garment.
4. Minimum Order Quantities and Turnaround Times
Two of the most practically important factors when ordering club kit are minimum order quantities (MOQs) and production lead times. Overlooking either can leave you scrambling before the season starts.
Minimum Order Quantities
Many custom kit suppliers require a minimum number of garments per order — often between 10 and 20 units. This is usually fine for full squads, but can be a challenge for smaller teams or clubs ordering replacement jerseys mid-season. Always confirm the MOQ upfront, and ask whether the supplier can accommodate smaller top-up orders at a reasonable cost.
Turnaround Times
Custom kit production takes time. Depending on the supplier and complexity of your design, turnaround times typically range from two to six weeks. Factor in shipping time — particularly if the supplier is based overseas — and build in a buffer for any design revision rounds.
A practical rule of thumb: place your kit order at least 8 weeks before your first competitive fixture. This gives you enough time to review a proof, request any adjustments, and receive the completed order without stress.
5. Full Kit Packages vs. Individual Pieces
Decide early on whether you’re ordering a complete kit package — jersey, shorts, and socks — or just individual pieces. There are advantages to both approaches.
- Full kit packages: Ensure a cohesive, matched look across all three garments. Often more cost-effective per item when ordered together, and eliminates the risk of mismatched colours or styles.
- Individual pieces: Useful if your club already has shorts or socks from a previous season that are still in good condition, or if players provide their own. Ordering just the jersey reduces upfront cost.
- Home and away kits: If your competition requires a change strip, plan both kits together with the same supplier. This guarantees colour harmony and simplifies the design and ordering process.
6. Budget: Balancing Quality with Cost
Budget is always a consideration for club kit orders, particularly at grassroots level where funds are limited. The temptation to choose the cheapest option is understandable, but it often leads to false economy — poor-quality jerseys fade, stretch, and wear out quickly, meaning you’re back to placing another order sooner than expected.
A smarter approach is to define a realistic per-player budget that accounts for the full season, then focus on finding the best quality available within that range. Mid-tier custom kit from a reputable supplier will almost always outlast and outperform a cheap alternative, and the difference in cost is often smaller than people expect.
Also consider the total cost of ownership: factor in the number of seasons you expect the kit to last, whether the design is timeless enough to avoid reordering purely for aesthetic reasons, and whether your sponsor contributions offset any of the expense.
7. Choosing the Right Supplier: What to Look For
Your kit supplier relationship is an important one. Beyond product quality, the right supplier should offer responsive communication, clear design proofing processes, and post-delivery support if there are any issues with the order.
When evaluating suppliers, ask the following:
- Can they provide samples or examples of previous club orders?
- Do they offer a digital design proof before production begins?
- What is their policy if garments arrive with errors or defects?
- Are they familiar with football-specific requirements, such as league regulations around numbering size and placement?
- Can they accommodate reorders mid-season for individual replacement garments?
A supplier with genuine experience in football teamwear will be able to answer all of these confidently — and will likely anticipate questions you haven’t even thought to ask yet.
Final Thoughts: A Kit Your Team Deserves
Ordering football kit for your club or team is a significant investment — in money, time, and team identity. The good news is that with the right preparation and the right supplier, it doesn’t have to be complicated. Focus on fabric quality, get sizing right, communicate your design vision clearly, and give yourself enough lead time to avoid last-minute pressure.
When every player steps onto the pitch in a well-fitted, professionally finished kit that truly represents your club, it sets a tone. It signals that your team takes itself seriously — and that culture of professionalism and pride tends to carry well beyond the changing room.
Start with the fundamentals outlined in this guide, and you’ll be in a strong position to place an order your whole squad will be happy with come matchday.
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