Gotham FC's first-ever third kit was a great idea, but an awful execution | OneFootball

Every year, NWSL teams release at least one new kit for the upcoming season. NJ/NY Gotham FC last got a new primary kit in 2024, when every NWSL side received two new kits. Then, they released a new secondary kit last season. The primary kit was incredible and continues to be so, while the most recent secondary kit left more to be desired. But rather than release a new primary kit this year, the team released a third kit for the first time.

It is pretty awesome that the Bats have a third kit for the 2026 campaign, giving them three options this season. But the Lady Liberty kit makes the secondary kit look amazing, for it is that bad. It is not good at all. But before getting into the why, it is important to understand the jersey.

The orange shorts and white socks are fun, but the shirt looks like an optical illusion that might cause some fans to require Dramamine. The major part of the jersey has a white background with orange, sky blue, and navy blue stripes going in all different directions. Then, there is an image of Lady Liberty at the bottom, where the statue is obvious but also blends in with the kit.

Gotham FC's new kit is terrible

According to Gotham FC Vice President, Laura Petro, the kit "reflects the bold, iconic spirit of the market" that the team is in. "This jersey connects our legacy to our championship future, and we’re proud to wear it on the pitch and across our community," she said.

In other words, the kit honors New York City. It "draws directly from the blue and orange of the New York City flag, which is blue, orange, and white with the city crest in the middle." Since Gotham represents New Jersey and New York, and both states are part of the tri-state area of the Big Apple, it makes sense to represent the greatest city in the world. The idea was a good one, too, but sadly, what the kit represents is a million times better than the design itself.

As mentioned, the shirt has stripes, and it looks like an optical illusion due to the stripes being too narrow. Then, only Lady Liberty's head is a part of the shirt, and it takes up a large portion of the bottom half. Truly, the full statue on the left or right side of the kit probably would have been better.

Also, the orange shorts are nice. But when combined with the jersey, the harshness of the bright color and the craziness of the design make the kit difficult to look at.

In some crazy way, Gotham's third kit somehow acts as a reminder of a recurring skit from Saturday Night Live regarding a baking championship. In the skit, contestants usually showed a drawing of the cake that they wanted to bake. The design looked great, but when the cake was revealed, the actual outcome was awful. Oh, and there was always one cake that looked so bad that it came alive.

To put it another way, the idea of the kit is great. It is similar, but different, to what New York City FC did with their secondary kit. However, the execution was abysmal. Apologies must be made because this is harsh, but this is probably one of the worst kits in Gotham FC history.

Of course, it must be said that the failure of the kit does not mean that the individual or group that designed the jersey is not talented. With a few changes, the team might have ended with a stronger product. But here, the kit is an example of what happens when one tries too much. Less is more, and simple is something that would have been a better choice here.

The criticism is not to be mean, and some fans probably like the third kit. But this is a failure for Gotham FC. This kit is not the answer.