For years, the soccer jersey occupied a very specific corner of the closet. It was something you “borrowed” from a boyfriend (and never returned), threw on for the pub or dusted off every four years when the World Cup rolled around or when your city’s [insert sport] team was in the playoffs. Fashion? Not exactly. Then something shifted. Between the rise of blokecore, the vintage-football-shirt boom and celebrities like Dua Lipa, Hailey Bieber, Rosalía and Rihanna making jerseys feel genuinely chic, the humble football shirt pulled off the ultimate glow-up. The momentum was accelerated this year thanks to the Milano Cortina Olympics and the FIFA World Cup, where the arrivals, tunnel walks and off-duty fits became almost as closely watched as the action on the pitch. The Fall 2026 runways only reinforced the movement. Continuing its love affair with sporty prep, Coach showcased jerseys and varsity-inspired coats, infusing athletic energy into the collection with layers and collegiate motifs, while Dries Van Noten gave athletic dressing a refined edge with technical fabrics and relaxed silhouettes. At Louis Vuitton, Pharrell Williams leaned into performance-inspired outerwear and elevated track separates. Across the collections, rugby shirts, track jackets, varsity layers and performance fabrics confirmed that fashion’s relationship with sport has evolved from hopping on the bandwagon to creating a lasting design language. Maybe that’s why the jersey suddenly feels so right. Fashion has always had a thing for borrowing from uniforms—trench coats from the military, loafers from prep schools, bomber jackets from the air force. The football shirt is simply the latest recruit, bringing with it equal parts nostalgia, community and cool. The only rule? Don’t wear it like you’re headed to a kickoff. Throw it on under an oversized blazer, tuck it into a silky slip-skirt or pair it with vintage denim and layered gold jewellery. This season, the jersey works well beyond the sidelines. This article first appeared in FASHION’s October 2026 issue. Read more stories from FASHION’s October 2026 issue and subscribe to the print issue here.