After Major League Soccer released 17 of the 2026 season's kits earlier today, Hudson River Blue convened a group of fashion experts and historians to discuss the uniforms and objectively rate their merits.
Joking! This power ranking of the 2026 MLS kits is an arbitrary exercise in judgement: The order is based on nothing more than gut feelings and vibes. After the 13 remaining 2026 MLS kits are released tomorrow morning, this post will be updated to include all of the league's new unis.
Oliver Strand
1) Dead Kit, San Jose Earthquakes
Is this real reason Timo Werner signed with the Earthquakes?
Who can say. Another mystery: Why is San Jose the beneficiary of the most creative kit dropped today?
2) Rooted in Austin, Austin FC
A masterful take on the classic Austin kit. Digging the lighter green, the graphic badge, the white shorts.
3) All Nations Kit, New York City FC
The shirt and shorts are just OK on their own, but it's the bright orange socks (not pictured) that tie it all together. Enough of the monochrome uni: This is the age of the high-contrast kit.
4) Sunken Treasure, Orlando City
Orlando is leaning into the LA Lakers color scheme, and we're here for it.
5) Civic Stadium Kit, Portland Timbers
It's not easy for a soccer shirt to pull off a light shade. The arch motif celebrates the 100th year of Providence Park.
6) Unprecedented Unity Kit, San Diego FC
The name is a mouthful, but the kit is an upgrade over the vanilla all-white 2025 away kit.
Still, San Diego should look at what their Snapdragon Stadium roomies San Diego Wave are doing with their kits for some inspo.
6) VeloCITY Kit, LA Galaxy
This is new?
That said, there's a lot to recommend the classic LA Galaxy uni and that David Beckham-era sash.
7) Reverb Kit, Nashville SC
This is new? To be fair, the badge is now in the center, and the trim is different, but it looks an awful lot like 2022. Nashville, like LA Galaxy, benefits from a good classic look.
8) Primary Kit, LAFC
A design strives to refer to "the Art Deco architecture" of Downtown Los Angeles instead looks like the tiles in the bathroom of an Instagram-famous matcha cafe.
Also: No name?
9) Independence Day Kit, New England Revolution
Can you not really have an opinion about a kit?
Fun fact: New England has missed the playoffs in three out of the four years since switching badges and ditching the crayon for the coaster.
10) Decade Kit, Minnesota United
Not bad, but not distinctive. We're always pro-sash, even if it's rendered in negative space.
11) The Procure Jersey, CF Montréal
Looks like the packaging for an upscale moisturizer.
12) Rooted Kit, Red Bull New York
More like the Vecna Kit.
When will Red Bull embrace their New Jersey heritage, and celebrate the local industry that built that community, or the Ironbound?
Also: Two Rooteds in one MLS reveal?
13) Carolina Kit: Crowns Up, Charlotte FC
This is new?
Too bad it's a step back from the gradated blues on the 2024 Carolina Kit.
14) Crafted for Excellence, Columbus Crew
This is new?
16) 1776 Kit, Philadelphia Union
A busy print that looks like the adhesive art you find in an Airbnb.
Philadelphia will forever be chasing after the elegance of the 2022 For U Kit.
17) Forever Red, Chicago Fire
This is new?
Also: Somebody forgot to give Chicago the memo that monochrome kits are out.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, and Hudson River Blue will receive a commission from sales using these links.
