Soccer Jersey vs Football Jersey vs Kit: What the Words Mean
A soccer jersey and a football jersey are the same shirt. Americans, Canadians and Australians usually call the game soccer and the top a jersey; in Britain and most of the world the game is football and the top is a shirt. A kit is the whole outfit, shirt, shorts and socks together, and an older British word for it is a strip.
The words get mixed up all the time, especially online, so here's what each one means, where "soccer" actually comes from, and what to look for when you're shopping.
The quick glossary
| Word | What it means | Where you'll hear it |
|---|---|---|
| Soccer jersey | The top a team wears | US, Canada, Australia |
| Football shirt | The same top | UK, Ireland, most of Europe |
| Football jersey | The same top (in the US, it can also mean an American football jersey) | Everywhere, online |
| Kit | Shirt, shorts and socks as a set | UK and international football |
| Strip | An older word for a kit | UK |
| Uniform | The full outfit | US, mostly in youth soccer |
Where the word "soccer" comes from
It's British. When the rules of the game were written down in England in the 1860s, it became known as association football, to tell it apart from rugby football. University students in the late 1800s liked shortening words, and "assoc." became "soccer". The word was common in Britain for decades before it faded there, while it stuck in countries where another sport already had the name "football".
Why one sport has two names
In the United States, "football" means American football, so "soccer" avoids confusion. Canada has Canadian football; Australia has Australian rules football. In those countries "soccer" is simply the clearer word. Elsewhere there's only one football, so nobody needs another name for it.
Kit, home kit, away kit
"Kit" is the word you'll meet most in team names for shirts: home kit, away kit, third kit. It technically means the whole set, but people use it loosely for the shirt alone. On FashionOwn, "kit" in a product name tells you what's included: our kids kits come as a shirt and shorts together, while a "jersey" is the shirt on its own. If you're wondering why teams have more than one, our guide to home, away and third kits explains it.
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Manchester United 2026/27 Home Kids Soccer Kit: a kids kit: the red home shirt with white shorts as a set.
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Manchester United 2026/27 Home Soccer Jersey: the same design as a jersey: the shirt on its own.
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Manchester United 2026/27 Home Soccer Shorts – Player Edition: shorts sold separately, if you want to complete the set.
Player Edition and Fan Version
Two more terms you'll see on our site. A Player Edition is the slim, match-style cut. A Fan Version is the standard fit, roomier and made for everyday wear. The words describe the cut, not the quality of the shirt. Our Player Edition vs Fan Version guide compares the measurements.
What to search for
On FashionOwn, our product names use "soccer jersey", because that's what most of our US customers type. You'll find exactly the same shirts if you search "football shirt". Adding the season or year narrows things down quickly: "Barcelona 2026/27 home", for example, or "Brazil 1994".
Frequently asked questions
Is a soccer jersey the same as a football shirt?
Yes. It's the same garment with a different name depending on where you live.
What is a football kit?
The full matching outfit: shirt, shorts and socks. People also use "kit" loosely to mean just the shirt.
Why do Americans say soccer?
Because "football" already means American football in the US. "Soccer" started as British slang for association football.
What's the difference between a jersey and a kit on FashionOwn?
A jersey is the shirt. Our kids kits are a shirt and shorts sold together.
