Edinburgh beaten by Glasgow for title of fake football shirt capital of Scotland
Edinburgh has been beaten by Glasgow as the fake-it capital of Scotland when it comes to buying football shirts.
Recent research has revealed that a quarter (25 per cent) of fans in Edinburgh already own a fake shirt, with the same number saying they were likely to buy a fake in the future. In Glasgow, 44 per cent admitted to owning a fake shirt.
With some teams in the Scottish Premiership charging £80 and upwards for a genuine replica shirt, it seems many fans feel they are being priced out of the market.
As well as surveying 2000 Brits to discover whether they owned a fake shirt, OLBG – the Online Betting Guide – also sent Freedom of Information requests to Trading Standards to find out where in the UK the most fake football shirts had been seized.
They discovered that in the build-up to the 2025/26 season, UK police forces seized more than 67,000 fake football shirts. Steve Madgwick, editor in chief at OLBG, has shared some of the signs to look out for to help fans identify a fake shirt.
“Extortionate prices are placing a financial burden on millions of Brits, which often leads them to contemplate whether the option of a fake alternative is a better choice,” he said.
“Despite having a lower cost, fake football shirts can present a risk to a person’s health due to the chemicals and the poor safety standards used to create them. With this in mind, it’s important to know the signs of a fake shirt and always opt for the real version.
“Firstly, always purchase football shirts from the club website and official retailers. If you’re unable to purchase a shirt on the club website, always opt for a reputable retailer, as you can be assured that you’re buying a genuine product.
“If you’re in a shop and have the product to hand, check the product code before making the purchase. Every genuine football shirt carries a unique product code, which is often located near the hem or collar. Once you have found the code, search for it online. If the code doesn’t match official images, there’s a good chance that it’s fake.”