Manchester teams struggle in pre-season airport shirt sales

The football season may only just have started, but Liverpool and Leeds United have already beaten both Manchester United and Manchester City in one important table: shirt sales at Manchester Airport.

Liverpool’s red home shirt was the most popular football kit bought at Manchester Airport ahead of the new season, followed by Leeds United’s blue away kit. Manchester United’s iconic red home kit was third most popular followed Liverpool’s white away kit. Manchester City’s most popular kit was the black away kit – but that was only the sixth most popular shirt overall at Manchester Airport.

Manchester United’s home kit was the most bought shirt at the UK’s global gateway in the North last season – but after a dismal season for the Red Devils, Liverpool have taken the top spot as fans get kitted out for the new campaign and take advantage of lower prices than on the High Street.

The data illustrates the breadth of Manchester Airport’s catchment area. In 2024, more than 2.6 million people from Merseyside and almost 2.8 million people from West Yorkshire flew from Manchester Airport.

Manchester Airport retail director Richard Jackson said:

“We know football fans love to wear their colours when they go on holiday and ahead of the new season we saw lots of people getting kitted out in their team’s new shirts in the departure lounge.

“But as always, football springs surprises – we expected a strong performance from Liverpool but outselling both Manchester clubs at their home airport was a shock. And who could have predicted the popularity of the new Leeds away shirt?

“It illustrates Manchester Airport’s status as the UK’s global gateway in the North, with football fans from across the region coming here to take advantage of our route network of more than 200 different destinations served by 50 airlines – as well as the top-of-the-league shopping and dining in our departure lounges.

“The only thing I’m disappointed by is that Blackburn haven’t made the top ten…”