Major League Soccer is back for the 2022 season. After some exciting opening games, you might want to get closer to the league. There’s no better way to do that than checking out the best MLS kits in 2022.
Best MLS kits 2022
If you’re an avid kit collector or MLS fan then you’ll already be eyeing up a new kit to bolster your collection and following. We’re going to review our top 10 favourites from the kits already released to help you in deciding which kit to buy first.
New York City – The Volt
While the defending MLS champion New York City didn’t get off to a winning start in their new kit, the Volt remains an exceptional bit of wear for those keen on eye-catching MLS uniforms in 2022.
The design features a lightning rod down the middle separating the luminous orange and navy blue pallets.
Other than heading to Yankee Stadium via JFK airport, UK readers are probably wondering where to buy MLS uniforms. Well, the MLS online store ships out here and this specific kit is available on the Adidas website. Other places like SportsDirect and KitBag are also great sites to check out too.
LAFC – 5 Year Anniversary
Has it been five years already since Los Angeles FC took to Major League Soccer? The team has taken to the league with great ease having picked up the Supporters’ Shield in 2019 and played in three out of four postseasons available.
The contemporary home kit is set to mark the fifth year in MLS with more of the identifying black and gold colour scheme with subtle shapes in the foreground. What makes this one of the best MLS jerseys in 2022 is the central positioning of the LAFC badge and Adidas logo. This alignment sets the kit apart from others with a classy appeal.
Portland Timbers – Heritage Rose
The light pink and luscious purple of this Portland Timbers kit are seldom seen together on a football jersey. Yet, the kit holds its own in a congested marketplace due to its unique aesthetics making it one of the best MLS kits in 2022.
One reason for its inclusion here is due to the roses embedded in the design which is a clear nod to the importance of the flower to Portland, as the city often goes under the moniker, ‘the City of Roses’.
Seattle Sounders – Legacy Green
Despite only joining the competition as an expansion franchise in 2009, the Seattle Sounders were quick to establish themselves as an MLS superclub with seven major titles in its first 10 years of operation. They also played in four of the five MLS Cup finals between 2016 and 2020.
The last two years haven’t quite lived up to the high bar they set. Meaning the name ‘Legacy Green’ for their 2022 home kit might be insensitive to fans who are rueing two trophyless seasons.
That said, when the 2022 MLS kits are ranked, this one could easily win design awards. The green and blue mesh is simplistic but doesn’t take anything away nor add unnecessary tack.
Philadelphia Union – For U
After stagnating for years in the ‘just about good enough for the playoffs’ tier of MLS, Philadelphia Union has finally turned the page in recent years. This ascendency has seen them lift the Supporters Shield in 2020 and get to last year’s Conference Finals.
The club decided to radically change its kit design in 2018, removing the vertical gold stripe from the front in favour of a full navy shirt. While some fans might have liked the original design they’ll have forgiven the club given subsequent results are much better.
The 2022 edition is a slight homage to the Philadelphia kits of old, as it re-introduces the vertical stripe, yet it’s mostly light blue with gold trim. While Union gatekeepers might raise their eyebrows, the casual fan is likely to appreciate the gold touches on the badges and embroidery which make this a very classy kit.
Austin FC – Home
Considering the pricing strategies tend to be similar for every kit, looking for the cheapest MLS kits can be difficult. However, Austin FC merch tends to be a little cheaper than other clubs for no obvious reason.
Any of the three kits the club has produced could have made this list, but we’re focusing on their primary home kit. It’s very similar to last year’s but that’s fine given the black-and-green colorway catches the eye in a minimal yet pleasing fashion. The club and kit badge are compact to give a well-drilled image, and when you win 5-0 in the first game of the season, everything looks good on you.
New York Red Bulls – 1Ritmo
Want to embrace New York? The boffins behind the 1Ritmo design have gone back to basics with a simplistic red kit with a faded checkerboard behind the Red Bull sponsorship logo.
The white Adidas insignia pulsates and gives this shirt a real tangible aura. Long-time fans will appreciate the conscious decision to acknowledge the ‘RED RUNS DEEP’ mantra with this overtly scarlet jersey.
Houston Dynamo – Bayou City
Houston’s geography is built on and around 10 winding waterways which over time have become prominent cultural points of interest. Hence why Houston Dynamo has claimed the pools of water as their own with this jet-black kit with a subtle ornate swamp impression on it.
The kit screams sports-sophistication with the white three stripes and tiny orange trim on the sleeve. This is at odds with the regular orange home kit which lacks any tact and is incredibly obvious.
Orlando City – The Sunshine
Who doesn’t like sunshine? Proven to make most people happier Orlando City wasn’t content at just appreciating it in the convention of sunglasses and short sleeves but decided to thank the Florida climate with ‘the Sunshine kit’. Not even joking.
The base of the kit is white with a purple gradient at the bottom to match the accompanying shorts. As the shirt travels up the material the block colours become rays and imitates the sun, eventually becoming a golden-yellow hue.
Describing it as the sunshine kit is actually a lot worse than just appreciating for what it is: a groovy kit. Nobody is sure if they’ll still get this kit out when the rain is pouring or if the schedule dictates they have to play one of those ghastly snowbound games in Colorado.
Inter Miami – The Heart Beat
David Beckham’s Inter Miami has been a little short of success in its first two MLS campaigns even with Phil Neville at the helm and Gonzalo Higuain leading the line and serving as club captain.
Similarly to Beckham’s post-Manchester United career, Inter Miami could be considered to be style over substance but… you’ve got to hand it to them, it is very stylish.
The Heart Beat is the club’s first all-pink shirt, a colour which has been adopted by the club. The collar is incredibly smart and the XBTO sponsor looks as if it was tailor-made to sit on this shirt. While improved results are not guaranteed in football, at least they’ll look good in this if they don’t win games or score.
MLS fans can check out sites like Dick’s Sporting Goods in their search for the latest MLS jerseys. Failing that, it’s worth going direct to Adidas or Nike.