"MLS Unveils Retro-Inspired Third Kits for 2024: A Nostalgic Journey Through Soccer History"
Major League Soccer is delving into its past—and even beyond—to find inspiration for new third kits for five of its clubs.
These kits, known as the Archive Collection, were unveiled on Tuesday, July 16. The clubs getting new third kits for the remainder of the 2024 season are:
Drawing inspiration from the nostalgic look of sports broadcasting, advertising, magazines, and catalogs, the adidas x MLS Archive Collection tells a unique story for each club. The collection features jerseys, jackets, and Gazelle shoes that embrace a retro theme reflective of each club’s city.
Adding to the vintage vibe, the new kits include varsity block fonts for names and numbers on the back, and distinctive wordmarks across the chest. These wordmarks replace the usual sponsor logos, which are moved to the back of the kit, underneath the number. A retro MLS logo in the kit’s colors also appears on the back collar.
"As this throwback-inspired series begins, MLS and adidas are considering expanding the number of clubs with a third jersey in 2025 and beyond," the league announced on Tuesday.
Here’s a closer look at each of the new jerseys:
INTER MIAMI CF
Inter Miami’s new third kit is a nod to 1980s nostalgia. The shirt is turquoise with tonal stripes on the front and sleeves, and coral trim on the collar, sleeve cuffs, and sides. The numbers on the back are white with a coral outline and drop shadow.
LA GALAXY
As one of MLS’s original teams from 1996, LA Galaxy pays tribute to the kit they wore in the league’s inaugural season. The shirt features a split design with teal on one side and black on the other, connected by a star pattern. The original crest is on the left chest, and the “GALAXY” wordmark emphasizes “LA” with an inline. The collar, sleeve cuffs, and Adidas shoulder stripes are all red.
LOS ANGELES FOOTBALL CLUB
Since joining MLS in 2018, LAFC doesn’t have the same deep history as their city rivals. Their new third kit draws on 1970s SoCal iconography, the golden hues of the setting sun, the diversity of their community, and the expansion of the club’s primary gold. A brown band across the chest of the tan shirt features “LOS ANGELES” in a retro font with lighter bands underneath.
PORTLAND TIMBERS
The Portland Timbers’ new third kit reaches back to 1978, even before MLS was founded, to honor Clive Charles, a defender who was one of the first players in the English First Division and joined the Timbers in 1978. The maroon shirt features a script “Timbers” wordmark across the front, with a white collar and sleeve cuffs trimmed in green and gold.
SPORTING KANSAS CITY
Before rebranding as Sporting Kansas City in 2011, the Kansas City Wizards were one of MLS’s original clubs from 1996, sporting rainbow kits. Sporting’s new third kit harks back to those days with a zigzagging rainbow pattern separating light blue on the top from white on the bottom. A retro Wizards crest and “KANSAS CITY” wordmark are displayed on the chest. The sleeves are solid light blue with black cuffs and Adidas stripes, while the back of the shirt is solid white.