How to Design a Personalised Football Kit

Q: Can you match a font we've already used in the past?

Usually, yes, send us a photo of a previous shirt and we'll match the style as closely as possible.

Q: What if some players' sizes aren't confirmed yet?

Send us what you have and flag the gaps, we can proceed with confirmed sizes and hold the rest until you're ready.

Q: Can you print a sponsor logo we don't have the rights to?

No, we can only print logos, crests or designs you have permission to use. We're happy to design an alternative if needed.

Getting a team's kit personalised well comes down to a handful of decisions made before anything goes to print: name and number placement, font and colour, sizing across a squad, and what to do if you don't have an official club crest. This guide covers each one, so your personalised football kit order comes back right the first time.

Where names and numbers go

Most shirts follow the same layout: the squad number sits large on the centre back, with the player's name printed in a curved or straight bar directly above it. A smaller number is often repeated on the front, usually centred on the chest or to one side if there's already a sponsor logo there. If your shirt has a v-neck or unusual collar, the name bar may need to sit slightly lower to clear the seam — send us a photo of the shirt and we'll adjust the layout in your proof rather than guessing.

Choosing a font and colour

Match your kit colours: white or light-coloured print on dark shirts, dark print (often black or navy) on white or light shirts, is the safest default for legibility from a distance.
Block numerals are the standard choice for readability during a match — stylised or script fonts can look good up close but are harder to read at a distance, which matters if numbers are being called out by a coach or ref.
Outline or drop-shadow effects can help a name/number stand out against a busy or patterned shirt design — we'll suggest this in your proof if your kit has a print or texture.

Sizing a whole squad

The biggest cause of delay on team orders isn't the printing — it's incomplete size information. The smoothest way to send us a squad order is a simple list: player name, number, and size, one line per player. If you're not sure of a child's size, our size range runs Kids 3-4 through 12-13, then Adult S through XXL — UK high-street sizing, so a normal school-age reference (e.g. "usually a 9-11") is enough for us to work from. If a few players are unsure, order can go ahead for the confirmed sizes and we'll hold the rest until you confirm — just flag it when you message us.

Club crests, badges and sponsor text

We can't print an official club crest, a licensed competition badge, or another club's kit design without permission from the rights holder — this protects you as much as us, since using someone else's registered mark without a licence can create problems for the team down the line. What we do instead:

Design a simple custom badge using your team's initials, colours and a shape of your choice (shield, circle, crest-style)
Print sponsor names or text exactly as supplied — just send us the wording and any logo you have permission to use
Match an existing badge you already own the rights to, if you send us a clear photo or file

Printing onto your own shirts vs ordering blank kit

Both options go through the same design and proofing process. If you're sending your own shirts, post them to us or drop them at our East London E14 collection point along with your list — we'll print and return the same shirts. If you'd rather we supply the shirts, tell us the sizes and we'll print and despatch the whole set as one parcel, which is usually simpler for a coach or parent coordinator handing kit out on one day.

What we need from you to get a proof right first time

A player list: name, number, size
Your kit colours (or the shirts themselves, if you're sending them)
Any badge, sponsor text or logo you'd like included, and confirmation you have the right to use it
Your deadline, if you have one — we'll tell you honestly whether we can hit it

From there we'll send a free design proof showing the full layout before anything is printed, and revise it until you're happy — see the full process on our personalised football kit printing page.

How the print itself holds up

We print using DTF (direct-to-film) transfer rather than vinyl or basic heat-press, which is designed to flex with the fabric and resist cracking or peeling through regular match washing. If you're comparing print methods, our DTF vs screen printing vs DTG guide covers how the options differ for sportswear specifically.

Frequently asked questions

Can you match a font we've already used in the past?

Usually, yes — send us a photo of a previous shirt and we'll match the style as closely as possible.

What if some players' sizes aren't confirmed yet?

Send us what you have and flag the gaps — we can proceed with confirmed sizes and hold the rest until you're ready.

Can you print a sponsor logo we don't have the rights to?

No — we can only print logos, crests or designs you have permission to use. We're happy to design an alternative if needed.

Do you charge extra for squad numbering?

Message us with your player list and we'll quote based on the full order — there's no separate numbering fee beyond the standard print cost.

Building the design in the right order

Designers often start with the fun parts, such as the font and the sponsor, and discover late that the shirt itself limits them. A better sequence saves rework:

1. Fix the shirt colours. Home and away shirts, and the goalkeeper's, each need their own print colours.

2. Set the back first. The back number is the element people notice, so size and position it before anything else.

3. Add the name. Check it fits the width of the shoulders, particularly for long surnames.

4. Place the front elements. Badge, sponsor and small number come last because they have to fit around what is already there.

5. Test at a distance. Look at the proof on a phone held at arm's length, then from across the room. If you cannot read the number, a player on the far touchline will not either.

Long names, short names and awkward characters

Names break layouts more often than anything else. A short name like Ali leaves a lot of empty space on the name bar, while a name such as Featherstonehaugh needs a smaller letter size, or the bar will run off the shoulders. Some approaches that work:

Keep every name in the squad the same letter height, so the longest name sets the size for everyone. That looks tidier than a mixture of sizes.
If one name is far longer than the rest, ask us to show two options on the proof: a smaller size for all, or a smaller size for that player only.
Tell us about hyphens, apostrophes and accents. O'Brien, Smith-Jones and Zoë should arrive exactly as the player spells them.
Decide in advance whether to use surnames, first names or nicknames. Mixing them within one squad looks inconsistent unless it is deliberate, as in a social side.

Home, away and goalkeeper kits

A club with more than one kit multiplies the checking. A sensible approach is to design the home kit properly, then ask what changes for the others rather than starting again. The numbers usually keep the same font and position, and only the colour changes. Goalkeepers are often the exception, since their shirts may be a bold colour or patterned, and the number may need an outline to stay clear against it. Give the keeper's number and shirt colour on the list, and ask for a separate proof if the shirt is very different.

Planning for change during the season

Squads are never fixed. Here are ways to plan for it so one late arrival does not turn into a messy reorder:

Agree a reserve set of numbers with the manager at the start.
Keep a copy of the final approved proof. When a new player is added, you can point to it and say "match this".
Note the font, colour and position. A one-line description saves a long exchange later.
Add new players in a batch rather than one at a time where you can.

Common mistakes we see

Sending names in capitals on the list and expecting mixed case on the shirt, or the other way round. Say how you want them printed.
Giving two players the same number. Check the list before sending.
Forgetting the goalkeeper or the substitutes.
Approving a proof without reading the names aloud.
Choosing a thin, decorative font for the back number. It looks good in the preview and disappears on the pitch.
Waiting until the week of the first game to start. Give your deadline when you request a quote, and order early.

Checking your design against league rules

Rules on shirt numbers, names, sponsors and colour clashes are set by individual leagues, county associations and competitions, and they change. We do not state what any league requires, because we cannot know which applies to you. Ask your league secretary before you finalise the design, particularly about sponsor size, whether names are allowed, and whether both teams' kits must contrast. If the answer is in writing, send it to us with your list so the proof reflects it.