Umbro
A British football and rugby sportswear brand identified by its distinctive double-diamond mark.
Last updated October 23, 2026
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Overview
Umbro is a British sportswear brand with roots in Wilmslow, Cheshire, and a business identity closely associated with football. Founded in 1924 by brothers Harold and Wallace Humphreys, the company began by making sports clothing in a small workshop and adopted the Umbro name, derived from Humphreys Brothers, during its first year. Its early growth came from supplying British football clubs, and its profile expanded substantially when both finalists in the 1934 FA Cup final wore Umbro-designed kits. Over the following decades, Umbro became one of the most influential kit manufacturers in British football. It supplied clubs including Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, Sheffield United, Preston North End and Blackpool, and developed long-running relationships with national teams and major competitions. Great Britain wore Umbro clothing at the 1952 Olympic Games, beginning a relationship that continued for two decades. The brand also introduced an early replica football kit in 1955, helping establish the idea that supporters and young players could buy commercially produced versions of team apparel. Umbro reached an international peak through its national-team and club partnerships. Brazil wore Umbro kits when it won the 1958 FIFA World Cup, while England won the 1966 World Cup in Umbro apparel. By the late 1960s, the company reportedly supplied the large majority of British football teams. Its kit history also includes Celtic's 1967 European Cup triumph, Liverpool's European Cup victories in 1977, 1978, 1981 and 1984, Brazil's 1994 World Cup win, Ajax's 1995 Champions League success and Manchester United's 1999 European and Intercontinental Cup victories. The brand has periodically influenced football fashion as well as performance equipment. Umbro's loose, oversized early-1990s football silhouettes, first given prominent exposure through Tottenham Hotspur's 1991 FA Cup final kit, helped accelerate a worldwide move away from close-fitting uniforms. Umbro later broadened its product range from shirts, shorts and socks into football boots, beginning with a Brazilian launch in the mid-1980s and expanding internationally thereafter. It has also sold rugby apparel, training clothing, jackets, casualwear and accessories. Its brightly colored nylon football shorts became especially prominent in the United States during the late 1980s and early 1990s, where they moved from youth soccer apparel into everyday fashion. Umbro's corporate ownership changed several times. Nike completed its acquisition of the company in 2008 after announcing a transaction valued at approximately £285 million. Nike subsequently decided to divest the brand as part of a strategy centered on its principal sports labels. Iconix Brand Group agreed to acquire Umbro in 2012 for approximately US$225 million, with completion later that year. Under Iconix ownership, Umbro rebuilt a portfolio of club and national-team partnerships, including agreements involving Everton, West Ham United, PSV, Schalke 04, Serbia, Jamaica and several other teams. In Europe, licensing arrangements have been used to manage product development and distribution. In 2024, Manchester-based Castore was reported to have become the sole licensee for Umbro Professional Team Sports apparel in several European markets through a sublicense from GL Dameck. Today, Umbro remains principally positioned around football heritage, teamwear and performance products, with rugby as another important sporting category. The brand sells through licensed partners and distributors in more than 100 countries. Its competitive identity rests on archival football credibility, recognizable design codes such as the double-diamond logo, and a blend of technical team equipment with lifestyle-oriented retro products. Umbro is therefore best understood as an active, internationally distributed heritage sportswear brand rather than as a mass-market generalist athletic company.
History
Umbro was established in 1924 by brothers Harold and Wallace Humphreys in Wilmslow, Cheshire. The business initially operated from a small cupboard at the family pub before moving into a workshop. Its original name, Humphreys Brothers Limited, was changed to Umbro in the same year, using a shortened form of the family business name. The founders were responding to the growing commercial importance of football and concentrated on practical sports clothing. Umbro's first major football visibility came in the 1934 FA Cup final, when Manchester City and Portsmouth both wore kits made by the company. During the 1930s and 1940s, the brand supplied a growing list of British clubs, including Sheffield United, Preston North End, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Blackpool. In 1952, Umbro outfitted the British team at the Summer Olympics with sport-specific clothing, beginning a relationship that continued for approximately 20 years. In 1955, it introduced the Sportswear Xmas Pack, an early replica football kit consisting of a shirt, shorts and socks for young supporters. The company expanded beyond football in 1957 through a collaboration with tennis clothing designer Ted Tinling, a relationship that lasted for about three decades. Umbro also worked with Manchester United manager Matt Busby from 1959. Football nevertheless remained its defining category. Brazil became the first World Cup champion to wear Umbro apparel in 1958, and England won the 1966 World Cup in Umbro kits. By the end of the 1960s, Umbro had become the supplier for a very large share of British football teams. Celtic's 1967 European Cup win and several Liverpool European Cup victories further strengthened its association with elite football. For much of its early history, Umbro made football clothing but not footwear. It entered football boots in Brazil in 1985, with a relatively accessible design, and began international mass production two years later. The brand also returned to supplying England in 1984 after the national side had spent more than a decade with Admiral. During the 1980s and 1990s, sponsored players such as Denis Law, Alan Shearer and Michael Owen helped connect the marque to individual football performance. Umbro had a notable design impact during the early 1990s. The oversized kit worn by Tottenham Hotspur in the 1991 FA Cup final initially attracted criticism, but Tottenham's victory helped popularize the looser silhouette. Umbro subsequently applied the approach to other clubs and national teams, contributing to a broad change in football apparel design. The company continued to benefit from high-profile successes, including Brazil's 1994 World Cup victory, Ajax's 1995 Champions League triumph and Manchester United's 1999 European and Intercontinental Cup victories. The company entered a more difficult commercial period around the turn of the century as it lost important club contracts, including agreements with Everton, Manchester United and Chelsea. In North America, Umbro also held a majority interest in the United Soccer Leagues, which operated lower-division men's, women's and youth competitions. Nike announced its acquisition of Umbro in 2007, and the transaction closed in February 2008. Nike attempted to refresh the brand, including through the Tailored by England product lines, while Umbro entered a major Manchester City kit partnership in 2009 and became the New York Cosmos' exclusive kit supplier in 2010. Nike announced in 2012 that it would sell Umbro, and Iconix Brand Group completed the acquisition in December of that year. The post-Nike period brought a series of new or renewed team relationships. Umbro returned to Everton in 2014 and subsequently announced agreements with Hull City, Lens, Nantes, Derby County, Serbia, Malawi, Vasco da Gama and Grêmio. PSV signed with Umbro in 2015 after a long Nike relationship, while West Ham United, Nürnberg, Blackburn Rovers and Bournemouth also became associated with the brand in the following years. Schalke 04 selected Umbro in 2017 after decades with Adidas, and Umbro announced a Jamaica national-team agreement later that year. Umbro now operates through a combination of brand ownership, licensing and distribution. Iconix remains the owner identified in the supplied reference material, while GL Dameck has held European licensing responsibilities. In 2024, GL Dameck was reported to have sublicensed professional team-sports apparel to Castore in several European markets. The modern Umbro assortment centers on football and rugby kits, boots, training clothing and accessories, supported by casual and archival products. Its enduring differentiation is the combination of British football history, the double-diamond emblem, team partnerships and a recognizable retro design vocabulary.
- 2024
Castore receives reported European teamwear sublicense
[1]Castore was reported to have become the sole sublicensee for Umbro professional team-sports apparel in several European markets.
- 2017
Schalke 04 selects Umbro
[1]Schalke 04 announced a five-year Umbro agreement, replacing Adidas after a long-standing relationship.
- 2014
Post-acquisition club partnerships expand
[1]Umbro announced renewed or new supply agreements involving Everton, Hull City, Lens, Nantes and Derby County.
- 2012
Iconix Brand Group acquires Umbro
[1]Nike sold Umbro to Iconix Brand Group, with the transaction completed in December.
- 2008
Nike acquisition closes
[1]Nike completed its acquisition of Umbro after announcing the deal in 2007.
- 1991
Loose football-kit silhouette gains visibility
[1]Tottenham Hotspur wore a distinctive oversized Umbro kit in the FA Cup final, helping popularize a looser football-uniform design.
- 1985
Umbro enters football footwear
[1]The company introduced its first football boot in Brazil and later expanded production internationally.
- 1966
England wins the World Cup
[1]England won its only men's FIFA World Cup title wearing Umbro apparel.
- 1958
Brazil wins the World Cup in Umbro
[1]Brazil became the first FIFA World Cup champion to wear Umbro kits.
- 1955
First replica football kit introduced
[1]Umbro launched the Sportswear Xmas Pack, an early retail replica kit for young football supporters.
Products and positioning
Heritage-oriented football and rugby sportswear brand combining professional teamwear, performance footwear and retro-inspired casual apparel.
Football apparel · 1924
Football team kits
Umbro's core offering consists of match jerseys, shorts and socks for professional clubs, national teams, amateur organizations and supporters. The range draws on the brand's long history as a football kit supplier and commonly incorporates the double-diamond identity, club colors and competition-specific technical requirements.
Football footwear · 1985
Football boots
Umbro entered football footwear in Brazil in 1985, initially using a comparatively accessible product strategy before expanding internationally. Later boot families included the Stealth, GT, GT II, Geometra Pro, Geometra II, Speciali IV and UX-1, aimed at different combinations of speed, control, comfort and lightweight performance.
Rugby apparel and equipment
Rugby teamwear
Rugby is one of Umbro's principal sporting categories alongside football. Its rugby assortment includes team jerseys, shorts, training apparel and associated equipment supplied through club, federation and licensed distribution channels.
Casual and performance apparel
Football shorts
Umbro's lightweight nylon football shorts became especially visible in the United States during the late 1980s and early 1990s. Bright colors, a drawstring waist and links to youth soccer made them both sportswear and everyday casual clothing, giving the product a durable retro association.
Sportswear
Training and lifestyle apparel
The brand also sells training tops, T-shirts, jackets and other sports clothing. These products extend Umbro beyond match-day equipment and frequently use archival football references, contemporary performance fabrics and the double-diamond logo.
Controversies
2020
Umbro apologizes over Linfield kit and says it will not promote it
Umbro stated that the Linfield kit design was based on guidance from the club. The brand apologized for any unintended offence and said it would not promote the product on its own channels. The kit had been compared by some to a paramilitary flag.
Marketing campaigns
- 2008Tailored by England
United Kingdom
After Nike's acquisition, Umbro introduced Tailored by England lines intended to refresh its association with English football and its national-team heritage.
Outcome. The initiative reinforced Umbro's English football positioning, although England later moved its kit supply to Nike.
Brand decisions
2024
European professional teamwear sublicensingStrategyBackground
Umbro's European apparel distribution operated through licensing arrangements involving GL Dameck.
Action taken
GL Dameck reportedly sublicensed professional team-sports apparel to Castore, making Castore the sole licensee in several European markets.
Aftermath
The arrangement expanded Castore's role in distributing Umbro professional teamwear while leaving the brand's ownership with Iconix according to the supplied material.
2012
Divestment to Iconix Brand GroupM&ABackground
Nike decided to reduce its portfolio around its principal sports brands.
Action taken
Nike agreed to sell Umbro to Iconix Brand Group for approximately US$225 million.
Aftermath
Iconix completed the acquisition in December 2012 and became the brand's owner identified in the reference material.
Transaction value. Approximately US$225 million (Announced October 2012; completed December 2012)
2007
Agreement to sell Umbro to NikeM&ABackground
Nike sought to acquire the British sportswear company and Umbro's board considered the offer competitive.
Action taken
Nike agreed to acquire Umbro in a transaction valued at approximately £285 million.
Aftermath
The deal received regulatory approval and closed in February 2008.
Transaction value. Approximately £285 million (Announced October 2007; completed February 2008)
1991
Adoption of the oversized football-kit silhouetteGeneration changeBackground
Umbro revisited the looser shapes associated with football clothing from the 1950s.
Action taken
It introduced a radically oversized Tottenham Hotspur kit for the 1991 FA Cup final and subsequently adapted the design for other teams.
Aftermath
The style gained popularity after Tottenham's victory and contributed to a broad industry shift toward looser football uniforms.
- Adidas — Adidas later introduced a looser Arsenal design influenced by the emerging trend.
1985
Launch of the first Umbro football bootProduct launchBackground
Umbro had historically concentrated on football clothing and did not yet have a footwear range.
Action taken
The company introduced its first football boot in Brazil and later moved to international mass production.
Aftermath
The launch broadened Umbro from a kit supplier into a football equipment brand.
Recent events
Jordan Sports completed its acquisition of Umbro China[4]
Reported:
Jordan Sports, through its wholly owned subsidiary Hong Kong Jordan Investment, completed the acquisition of Umbro China for US$62.5 million. The acquisition covered Umbro China’s business and brand intellectual property in Greater China.
Umbro apologizes over Linfield kit and says it will not promote it[3]
Reported:
Umbro said the Linfield kit design was based on guidance from the club, apologized for any unintended offence, and said it would not promote the product on its channels. The kit had been compared by some to a paramilitary flag.
Sources4 sources
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