Copyright forbes
The Marshall Islands have the world's newest soccer team. The soccer jersey business is worth billions of dollars. From newly released kits to retro designs harking back to ’90s legends, the allure never wanes, as supporters are prepared—even with the steep prices—to dip into their pockets. Currently, Adidas pays Real Madrid and Nike pays Barcelona comfortably over €100 million ($117 million) each year for the privilege of having their brands on the popular shirts. Then, there are the priciest soccer jerseys sold at auction; Diego Maradona’s Argentina top from 1986—made by Le Coq Sportif—went for around €8 million ($9.3 million) in 2022. But when the opportunity arose to sponsor the world’s newest international team, the top manufacturers were not on the scene in 2025. Instead, a grassroots company based in Nottingham, United Kingdom, stepped in to design and produce the first-ever shirts for the players and fans of the Marshall Islands, over 13,000 miles away in the Pacific Ocean. The Marshall Islands’ Call Launched 17 years ago, PlayerLayer—the creator in question—built a reputation from supplying kits to higher education sports clubs. And through a university student who had been tracking the Marshall Islands’ journey, the first conversations began regarding a style for the prospective team. Representing an archipelago and without FIFA membership, the squad’s first game was a heavy loss to the U.S. Virgin Islands in Arkansas in February. However, their first goals arrived two days later in a narrow defeat to the Turks and Caicos Islands. A date for the next match is still unclear. MORE FOR YOU Until recently, there hasn’t been a path for soccer. An isolated territory hosting around 40,000 people—the sort of figure common in many stadiums across Europe—they have closer ties to typically U.S. sports, such as basketball and baseball, which stem from the United States’ occupation after World War II. Marshall Islands athletes made an appearance at the Olympic Games in France last year. Anadolu via Getty Images The environment is also a factor. The Marshall Islands’ very existence is under threat due to rapidly rising sea levels, reflected in sustainability-focused PlayerLayer’s fading illustrations of fauna on its alternative white and orange jersey. “We’ve made kit out of bamboo, charcoal, coffee beans, and all kinds of things,” says its cofounder, Rod Bradley, who plays American football and is known to many as Spartan from the hit television show Gladiators. “But it’s predominantly recycled polyesters and PT plastics—essentially water bottles taken out of the ocean that we then turn into sports kit. In a field dominated by the major retailers, Bradley believes there’s space for other labels to do their thing, as he mentions his son and the enduring appeal of different jerseys. “He gets it all, from ‘Why are you wearing your pyjamas?’ to ‘That’s the best kit’. They’re quirky, unusual designs. I like to think it’s a real zig to the zag of the day-to-day Premier League and global clubs (jerseys) you see people in, and it’s nice for that to be supported globally, albeit on a small scale initially. “You don’t find football shirts in charity shops because they’re generally treasured and not thrown away. They’re the kind of things that people love, cherish, and pass on. They’re part of people’s lineage and have a generational consistency. So, there’s always space in the wardrobe for next year's kit.” Speaking about his company, he adds, “We can be a global name, but we are not on a rocket ship paying out for big deals.” Island Soccer The possibility of making the World Cup on day is wafer-thin for the Marshall Islands. Yet lesser-discussed islands are making a racket on the international scene. Cape Verde will be at the global tournament in 2026, becoming the second-smallest participating nation after Iceland. Meanwhile, New Caledonia has snuck into the playoffs, and the Faroe Islands have a chance—albeit remote. Alongside them is a group of riders in the CONCACAF region, including Haiti (from Hispaniola), aiming to make the expanded format. And for those simply proud to wear the jersey? Running around in their colors and on their grass for years to come would be a dream itself. The changing Earth may not allow it, but at least the Marshall Islands are finally being heard. Editorial StandardsReprints & Permissions
