The Indian football team has been associated with various kit sponsors over the years, reflecting the evolution of the sport in the country. This list traces the brands that have outfitted the national team, showcasing changes in design and sponsorship trends across different eras.
Two worldwide powerhouses in the sports industry made it to the list.
The Indian Football Team boasts a rich and evolving history, marked by both triumphs and setbacks. Over the years, the jerseys worn by the players have symbolized their growth, challenges, and unwavering spirit throughout their journey.
Known as the Tigers, the team’s iconic blue kits, inspired by the Ashoka Chakra on the Indian national flag, have represented both moments of glory and the sting of defeat. Stars have emerged on the pitch, donning this blue, leaving their mark on the nation’s football legacy.
As India’s football story has unfolded, several prominent sports brands have partnered with the Blue Tigers, creating kits that reflect the nation’s football heritage and showcase it to the world. With the sport’s evolution, the national team kits have also advanced, incorporating cutting-edge technological improvements in both design and performance. Join us as we take a closer look at the evolution of kit sponsorships for the team over the years.
In-House Kits
The history of the Indian Football Team’s kits dates back to its early days, when the team relied on in-house designs, long before sponsorships became commonplace for national teams. The 1948 London Olympics marked India’s debut on the international football stage, following the country’s independence.
In their first international match against France, the Indian players wore white buttoned shirts with coloured collars and plackets, paired with white shorts. By 1961, the team transitioned to polo t-shirts, featuring their crest and the year of play embroidered on the left chest, while retaining the coloured collars.
Babua (1964)
The Indian Football Team’s inaugural partnership with a sports brand occurred in 1984, when they teamed up with Babua to produce their kits for international tournaments.
The kit incorporated saffron from the national flag, showcasing a bold saffron shirt with the team crest and the year emblazoned at the center of the chest, placed on a square white backdrop.
Umbro (1996)
Umbro crafted a stylish new kit, bringing back the iconic white jersey. The design prominently featured the brand’s logo and the national crest at the center of the chest. The vibrant saffron, white, and Indian green of the national flag were incorporated into the collar and sleeve cuffs.
Sapphire Sports (2000)
In 2000, India partnered with Sapphire Sports for their kit sponsorship, introducing one of the most stylish designs for the team. The players donned a classic white jersey featuring ‘India’ in small fonts, creating vertical stripes across the fabric. The team’s crest was repositioned to the left chest, while the iconic tri-colour collar and cuffs remained a key feature.
Adidas (2002-2006)
The Indian Football Team’s first collaboration with Adidas began in 2002, when the All India Football Federation (AIFF) signed a deal with the renowned German sports brand to produce the national team’s kit. The inaugural kit was an all-white design.
In 2004, a new look was introduced, featuring a striped blue shirt with darker blue stripes set against a lighter blue background, accented with white side panels. Unfortunately, this partnership was brief, ending in 2006.
Nike (2006 – 2018)
After the conclusion of their four-year partnership with Adidas in 2006, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) signed a new seven-year deal with American sportswear giant Nike.
India’s inaugural kits under Nike featured a light blue shirt paired with white shorts. The following year, the design saw a darker shade of blue for the shirt, while the shorts remained white. The away kit experienced a bold transformation, shifting from traditional white to a vibrant red design.
Subsequent kits introduced a more striking all-dark blue design, with sky blue and red accents along the sleeves. This kit saw India claim the Nehru Cup and marked the rise of stars like Sunil Chhetri and Subrata Paul as key figures in Indian football.
In 2011, Nike unveiled a new kit using a template shared by other national teams, such as Brazil and the Netherlands. The AIFF extended the partnership for another five years, as the kits continued to evolve with designs like horizontal stripes. This year also saw the introduction of an all-blue kit accented by dark blue horizontal stripes.
Ahead of the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup in India, Nike launched an all-blue kit for both senior and youth teams. The kit, featuring sky-blue with orange vertical stripes on the side panels, became iconic, as the U-17 team wore it during India’s first-ever FIFA World Cup appearance at any level.
The kit also witnessed some of India’s best performances, including an unbeaten streak of nine matches, which led the team to their second-highest FIFA ranking of 96 in 2017.
The final Nike kit for India featured a new shade of blue with an orange stripe running down the jersey and shorts. This kit incorporated advanced technological features, including improved ventilation through the expanding stripe, alongside Nike’s Dri-FIT technology to keep players cool, dry, and comfortable.
The partnership with Nike concluded in 2018, standing as the longest-ever kit sponsorship for the Indian football team to date.
Six5Six (2018-2023)
Indian sportswear manufacturer Six5Six replaced Nike as India’s kit maker in 2018. They became the first manufacturer to secure the rights to produce India’s kits, after both Nike and Adidas, who had no such arrangements.
India’s kits by Six5Six stood out for their emphasis on tiger stripes, reflecting the identity of the Indian football team as the Blue Tigers. They experimented with tiger stripes in designs, integrating them on the sleeves, chest, and horizontal stripes. However, this sponsorship was also short-lived and culminated in 2023.
Performax (2023- Present)
In 2023, Performax, an Indian sportswear brand owned by Reliance Retail, joined forces with the All India Football Federation (AIFF) to become the official kit and merchandise sponsor for the Indian football team a partnership that remains in place today.
The first kit released by Performax featured an all-blue design, accented with thin red lines along the shorts and sleeves. The most recent kit, unveiled in 2024, retains the all-blue theme, with striking designs inspired by the marks of a tiger’s claw, symbolizing the fierce spirit of the Blue Tigers.