The football season is over and all honours decided – but which team won the shirt sales league?

• Data from MAG’s airports between August 2024 and May 2025, reveals the most-brought football shirts during the Premier League season
• Manchester teams reign supreme across the country with Manchester United beating Manchester City for podium position
•    Recently promoted Leeds United also make an appearance in the rankings
•  Arsenal is the most-bought London shirt, with Villa topping the charts in the Midlands
•  Argentina makes surprise appearance in the top 20

With the Premier League finished for another season, Manchester Airports Group (MAG) - can now reveal the best-selling football shirts for the 2024/25 season.

Liverpool may have clinched the Premier League title this year, but among shoppers at JD Sports outlets across MAG’s three airports – Manchester, London Stansted and East Midlands – their shirts were only popular enough for fourth place.

Despite their dismal season, it was Manchester United that reigned supreme as number one across the North, Midlands and South, with its brand power still evident in all parts of the country, and with visitors to the UK.

So-called “noisy neighbours” Manchester City ranked second overall, with England shirts coming in third.  With thousands of travellers expected to head to Switzerland this summer for the UEFA Women’s Euros, fans can pick up their shirts en route to cheering the Lionesses on back-to-back titles. Retro also appears to be making a revival, with the old school England shirts also featuring in the top 20.

While the Red Devils took top spot overall, there were regional variations. Arsenal’s men may have lost out to PSG in the semi-final to the Champions League, but their status as the top-ranking London team was reflected in shirt sales. It was the top-selling shirt at London Stansted, and the Gunners appeared in the top five across all three airports.  

Tottenham Hotspur fans should look away as they only managed eighth overall at their local airport, despite lifting the Europa League trophy. In fact, Spurs were the fourth-placed London team, also behind Chelsea and West Ham.

Leeds United’s promotion to the Premier League saw celebrations across the West Yorkshire city, with fans travelling far and wide to celebrate their success. The underdog clearly won hearts and minds across the country, coming eighth in the overall rankings, as well as appearing in the top 10 for Manchester.  

At East Midlands Airport, Aston Villa were the most popular regional team, ahead of Wolverhampton Wanderers.

With an extensive European network across the Group, it’s no surprise to see the international teams also represented in the rankings, with newly crowned Champions League winners PSG and runners-up Inter Milan making an appearance in the top 20, alongside global Galactico Real Madrid.   

Adam Jupp, MAG Communications Director said:

“Airports are always places where people love to show their football allegiances – whether that’s fans travelling to fixtures at home or abroad, or international visitors coming to watch world famous teams here in the UK.

“Despite a dismal season, Manchester United’s appeal – both across the UK and with inbound tourists – appears to be as strong as ever. In fact, it has crept back above rivals City into top spot nationally, with the Blues’ popularity waning slightly since the last time we produced the league table.

“The fact the Premier League is a lot more competitive than it was also shines through, with the likes of Aston Villa, Newcastle, Wolves and West Ham all selling strongly alongside the traditional top sides.

“Regional loyalties are also reflected in our rankings. As the largest airport in the North, it is not surprising to see league champions Liverpool closing in on the two Manchester clubs – and Leeds United’s promotion winning campaign has catapulted it up the table.

“Stansted’s list reflects the fact it serves passengers from all parts of London – with four teams from the capital featuring – as well as nearly 10m inbound visitors a year. Tourists are typically drawn to the clubs with the biggest global profile, hence United, City and Liverpool all placing highly.

“Meanwhile, passengers in the Midlands are clearly a patriotic bunch, with three different England tops featuring in the top 10, while Nottingham Forest and relegated Leicester don’t feature at all.

“Lots of people also like to pick up a foreign top when heading on their holidays, and it is interesting to see Champions League winners PSG rank so highly, overtaking Real Madid, Barcelona and the Milan sides, which would have previously dominated.”

Full rankings: