AI to blame for Nike kit flaw as £135 jerseys have 'complete joke' design failure

Martin Macdonald

• 11 Apr 2026 04:01 CDT
• 5 min read

News

Nike has acknowledged a defect in their replica World Cup kits, some of which are being sold by retailers for as much as £135.

In March, Nike showcased their new batch of kits in a round of international friendlies as they debuted ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

Upon release, they received almost universally positive responses as fans of the likes of England, France, the United States and Canada appeared happy with the designs (if not the price).

However, as those international matches progressed, fans spotted two large bulges on either shoulder of the kits. Nike has since confirmed that this was a flaw in their original design.

"During the recent international break, we observed a minor issue with our Nike national team kits, most noticeable around the shoulder seam," the manufacturer said in a statement.

"Performance is unaffected, but the overall aesthetic is not where it needs to be."

The Guardian reached out to Nike for further commend and they responded:

"We are a global team of best-in-class designers, creators and dreamers who spend every day thinking about how to innovate, challenge ourselves, and take risks that push the beautiful game.

"We always hold ourselves and our products to the highest standards and this fell short. We're working quickly to make this right for players and fans, because every kit should reflect the care, precision and pride that the game deserves."

A source told the Guardian that Nike’s “computational design” is aided by Artificial Intelligence which is used in collaboration with human designers.

It has not been confirmed if Nike will re-design shirts that are yet to be manufactured or whether supporters who have already purchased kits will be reimbursed in some way. With just two months until the World Cup, it would require a monumental logistical effort to replace all shirts that have already been sold as well as ensure further kits are unaffected.

Disgruntled buyers

Several people who purchased the kits have taken to social media to express their anger after purchasing what were very expensive pieces of clothing.

One Canadian fan posted a picture of the shoulder bulges on Reddit and said:

"It's actually a complete joke. I was ready to finally splash the cash on a kit this summer, but these Nike kits don't have a fit problem in that they might be too long or too short for some people... the way the shoulders are sewn together just makes them bunch like this, no matter what.

"I think they might work if your shoulders are narrow. I have wider shoulders, and there's just no way to not make this shoulder line not bunch.

"This is a stupid, STUPID design. I was looking forward to getting this kit as well because the design looks nice, but the execution is a joke. $135 CAD for this."

A comment on the post read: "Couldn't agree more, I've bought the Dutch jersey every year since 2006 and this is the first time I won't be buying. I went this past weekend to go try them on and was so disappointed.

"Maybe when it goes on sale in four months but my god Nike has fallen off for a while now. What a shame, this might sound dumb but getting the new jersey is something I have always really looked forward too growing up, so seeing how poorly made these are makes me sad."

Nike have reportedly been in talks with the relevant football federations to determine the 'next steps' in sorting the situation.

How much profit are manufacturers making?

Nike are charging the highest prices for their shirts, with Puma in second and Adidas in third. All but two of the World Cup kits released so far are made by these three brands.

For the same tournament, England fans are having to pay more than Scotland fans for a replica kit, for example.

In a statement, Nike told the BBC: "We know that any price increase matters to fans, and we never take that lightly.

"We regularly review our product costs to make sure we're delivering the best possible performance and industry-leading innovation, while balancing rising material, manufacturing and logistics costs."

Adidas said: "The pricing of these jerseys is reflective of the technology, development, testing and high-quality materials that bring them to life.

"We understand that each kit is a meaningful purchase for a fan, and we provide choice with authentic and replica jerseys at different price points.

"Counterfeit items cannot replicate these standards, and we remain committed to delivering products that perform at the very top of the sport."

The BBC confirms how much profit is actually made by manufacturers for these kits:

"According to analysis by sports merchandise expert Dr Peter Rohlmann, it costs about £8.50 for an official adult replica shirt to be manufactured and shipped, with an additional £9.50 cost for marketing, licensing and distribution.

"A new England shirt priced at £104.99 would also incur £17.50 worth of VAT.

"Removing all costs leaves a profit of about £64.49, which is split between the manufacturer and retailer according to the terms of their agreement."

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