The new Major League soccer season is around the corner and teams are greeting the new season with new jerseys. Inter Miami and San Diego FC were the only teams to release fully new kits, but ahead of the league’s 30th season, some teams have taken some ambitious swings when it comes to designs, while others have stuck with the Adidas template.
Unlike other leagues around the world, or even in the United States, MLS only has jerseys made by Adidas which can lead to shared elements despite teams having a say in how they would like things to look. As we go through the new jerseys around the league, some of those will become evident. Let’s get going with the rankings:
32. Los Angeles FC – Away
LAFC’s gold is a great color, but in this away jersey it feels like an afterthought to make sure it wasn’t completely white. The collar is a nice touch but the lack of texturization along with the sponsor knock this jersey down a few pegs compared to other white jerseys.
31. FC Dallas – Away
See the template forming yet? FC Dallas gets a few extra points for changing up the shoulders but this is another jersey with potential that wasn’t hit.
30. San Diego FC – Woven into One (away)
This is still a white template shirt for San Diego’s inaugural away jersey, but this is where the details matter. The texture in the white and the detail on the shoulders and trim does just enough to put it above the others that sit around it.
29. New York Red Bulls – Away
The, “Stone kit” comes out more as a digitized camo design. It’s not bad by the Red Bulls and credit to them for trying something, but also this is something where it’ll need to grow on you on the field and I’m not sure if that will be the case.
28. San Diego FC – State of Flow (home)
San Diego’s inaugural home jersey isn’t much more inspiring than their away one, but the nice shade of blue does make the chrome ball logo pop. Extra points for being the first jersey in these rankings not to do a solid color on the Adidas rib paneling that seems to be an odd requirement on jerseys this season.
27. Minnesota United – Away
I don’t know how I feel about this. The CONVERGENCE kit almost looks like someone spilled something on the jersey and couldn’t get it out. The only thing propping this up is that the different shades of blue mesh well together and this is something that could age well with time despite the fact that it’s not catching the eye yet.
26. Philadelphia Union – Home
The Union haven’t been afraid to shoot big over the years and lightning seems to be a key component now in replacing their signature gold strip that used to adorn their jerseys, but gold should still be a component. This isn’t a bad look, especially with the use of the alternate logo, it just also isn’t a great one. A sign that standards are rising around the league.
25. D.C. United – Away
The concept of D.C. United’s “Soul of the City” look is excellent. The tones are great, there just needs to me more of them to make this a truly great jersey instead of a white shirt with extra steps.
24. Toronto FC – Home
This is a tough one, as we’re firmly in the not a bad jersey but also not a great one with Toronto’s new look. It just feels not quite there, similarly to their roster construction.
23. Columbus Crew – Home
Another design that may grow on me is the Crew’s Goosebumps kit. I get what they’re going for here, but leaning into the ooze a bit more would’ve helped make it more distinct instead of as if it got a few paint splatters on it.
22. Orlando City SC – Home
I may have ranked Orlando City’s new home look too low, but three shades of purple is a shade too many. It’s a great color and a look with so much potential, but something on the simpler end could’ve gotten the job done too.
21. Inter Miami – Fortitude (away)
Inter Miami found a way to make the Royal Caribbean Group sponsor work on this jersey and with the two tone black, it’s a simple but effective jersey that will be everywhere by the end of the season.
20. New York City FC – Home
The skyscrapers are a nice touch while blue and white always work well together and who doesn’t like a slight bit of pettiness to note that this is the soccer team that actually plays in New York City instead of New Jersey?
19. Houston Dynamo – Home
This is where keeping it simple can be best when you already have a great color scheme. The slight designs on the orange pop to create a solid look for Houston.
18. Colorado Rapids – Away
The logo is certainly carrying some weight on this Rapids away kit, but I like a white shirt that tries to do something and bringing in the elements of water works here.
17. Chicago Fire – Away
The fact that this jersey is so low either says that the quality of jerseys in the league is impressive this season or that my rankings are flawed. But again like the Rapids, it doesn’t take much to make a white way look interesting. Great job with the blues on this.
16. New England Revolution – Away
We’re in our cosplay era as the “Eastern White Pine X Flag of New England” kit makes me think of the Portland Timbers but as a concept of its own it works. It’s interesting to choose the flag of New England here when New England has no official flag but the pine has usually been an element in them.
15. Vancouver Whitecaps – Away
You know a Vancouver jersey when you see one and in a league as young as MLS, that carries some weight. Again, it doesn’t take much to make a white look unique which is why those template shirts have to be at the bottom of these rankings.
14. Nashville SC – Away
When you have a great color wear it. The yellow paneling on the arms may be a bit much but this is another situation where a good color works well.
13. CF Montreal – Home
In this house, we love a good set of stripes. Entering the top half of MLS jerseys released, CF Montreal will be sporting a clean getup this season.
12. St. Louis City SC – Home
This is another case where I wish teams weren’t tied into the side paneling because the red with St. Louis’ logo just works. It’s plain but that’s not a bad thing here.
11. Austin FC – Home
We’ve got more stripes as Austin FC ties together two tones of green in their Heartbeat kit. Also, credit to all of their sponsorfor working well with the jersey and not overtaking it.
10. Inter Miami – Euforia (home)
I told you, in this house we respect stripes. When put next to Austin, they look quite similar, but just like the verde, two-tone pink is just excellent so you won’t find me complaining.
9. San Jose Earthquakes – Home
Not gonna lie, I have a love-hate relationship with what San Jose is doing here. With the news integration, the front is a little on the busy end and I get that this isn’t for everyone but I’m about it.
8. Portland Timbers – Home
Portland is another team with a classic look that they don’t need to mess around with too much in order to achieve greatness. This is a look that will age will with time.
7. Charlotte FC – Away
If you haven’t picked up on it yet, I’m all for design elements that highlight what’s good about a jersey but don’t overpower it and Charlotte did just that here. I’d love some more blue trim but when you’re calling something a “Fortress kit” it doesn’t have much space for extreme colors.
6. Atlanta United – Home
Quickly Atlanta United’s look has become one of the most instantly recognizable in MLS. Sure it’s just like Milan, but they’ve had some bangers, and Atlanta is doing just that again, sporting the five stripes on the front with gold trim for Miguel Almiron’s homecoming.
5. LA Galaxy – Away
I may get Orlando City vibes looking at this Galaxy kit, but my goodness this is a beautiful look. The gradient, the purples, just so close to perfection, especially with another star added to the top of it. It took some great kits to make this come in only at number five.
4. FC Cincinnati – Home
Sashes can sometimes be noisy, but using it to cut the gradients gives FC Cincinnati a truly unique look. Add in that it’s a great team that will be wearing this, they’ll be putting, “look good, play good” to the test.
3. Seattle Sounders – Away
While I want to see Seattle use their alternate logo on a jersey, this just feels right. Breaking out of the regimented designs even makes it feel like Seattle didn’t use Adidas.
2. Real Salt Lake -Away
What a banger from Real Croatia Utah. Truly no notes here and this would easily be the number one new jersey in MLS most years but this isn’t most years.
1. Sporting Kansas City – Home
One thing that’s better than a stripe is a good hoop and for Sporting Kansas City they put together quite a good one. The slight design elements work so well together to create a great look.
