IT IS, as they say, a funny old game… it turns out that when it comes to searching for football kits, the Ding’s favourite is not the Royals.
Instead, it’s a premier league title-chaser.
Football shirt retailer UKSoccerShop used Google Keyword Planner to analyse regional searches for the shirts of Premier and Championship League teams over 2023,
identifying each region’s favourite team.
The data uncovered a clear favourite among football enthusiasts living in Reading, as Arsenal emerged as the favoured kit, garnering 790 searches in 2023.
Man U was second with 690 searches, while Chelsea was third with 580 searches.
Fourth and fifth are Liverpool and Manchester City, respectively, with 540 and 490
searches.
The study also revealed the most popular football shirts nationally, over the past five years.
Manchester United has consistently taken the top spot with the most sought-after kit in the UK, except for 2019, when Liverpool shirts were the favoured kit.
Liverpool and Arsenal battle for second and third place every year, leaving Manchester City and Chelsea to sit in either the fourth or fifth position. Despite ranking lower than Manchester United and Liverpool, appearing in the top five consistently indicates they still have a dedicated fan base.
Of course, focusing on Premier and Championship sides means the Royals’ kits since they were relegated are not counted – The Purple Turtle-inspired third kit would surely have topped the table.
Simon Pretswell, CEO of UKSoccerShop says: “The data reflects the enduring popularity of football fans across the UK. It is particularly interesting to
Identify each region’s favourite football team, and it’s clear Manchester United shirts are a fan favourite, as they’ve topped the ranking nationally four years in a row.”
“It’s fascinating to see which teams have the highest number of loyal and dedicated fans over the years. For fans, buying a football shirt is a great way to feel part of their team’s community, and many will delight in wearing them to support their favourite teams during the games. The power of fan support is not to be understated.”
