The new NYCFC primary kit, the Excelsior Kit, is nice but could be better | OneFootball

Last season, New York City FC arguably released one of their best secondary/away kits in their short history. The 24/7 kit celebrated the city that never sleeps as well as the nightlife. Yes, many black jerseys from around the world tend to look nice. The orange and city blue within the design helped it stand out.

Earlier this month, the new primary kit leaked online. Since the picture was not the clearest, it was difficult to properly judge. But now, NYCFC released the new jersey on Wednesday, giving fans a proper look at the Excelsior Kit. The kit celebrates the 10th anniversary of play in Major League Soccer.

Once again, the jersey is inspired by the city. Per the club, it was inspired by "the city's iconic skyscrapers" and the team's "relentless pursuit of excellence on and off the field."

Looking at the new NYCFC jersey

CEO Brad Sims said it the best when discussing what the new NYCFC jersey represents. "The new home kit celebrates our journey and reaffirms our commitment to progress," he told newyorkcityfc.com. "In just 10 years, we’ve grown from an expansion club to champions, invested in youth development, and expanded soccer’s reach across the five boroughs. The Excelsior Kit embodies our past and future as we build the future of soccer in NYC and strive to make it one of the next soccer capitals of the world."

Looking at the jersey, specifically focusing on the authentic kit, the different shades of blue, and how they are placed on the shirt presents the idea of a skyscraper. However, if people were not told that, then they might not have seen that idea. At the same time, the kit has some lighter blues than what fans are used to. There is also some white on the main part of the kit. The team did not forget about the orange and dark blue, which are featured on the collar. The NYCFC logo is on the top of the back.

It is nice that the home kit differs significantly from the last one, which can be seen in the cover photo. Again, the Excelsior Kit is supposed to highlight the skyline of New York City, focusing on the skyscrapers. The design sort of shows that, but truthfully, the Pigeons could have gotten away with actually taking a portion of the skyline and putting it on the jersey. That is not to say the abstract look is bad, but there are other ways to highlight the skyline.

Notably, the club's original badge is still on the jersey. It will remain on the kit for one more year, with the full change with the new badge expected to go on jerseys next season. To celebrate the tenth anniversary of play, there is also a patch on the bottom that says "New York City Football Club since 2015".

Looking at the replica jersey, it is very similar to the authentic one. The star above the badge is of course not on the replica similar to previous years. The color is slightly lighter on the back and the NYCFC logo is not there.

Overall, the new kit is nice. Of the primary jerseys released, this one would probably fall in the middle of this writer's rankings. Again, it could have been better by having the actual skyline on the jersey using the shades of blue that they used.

Nevertheless, what the Excelsior Kit represents highlights the jersey release. The real test will be seeing it on the pitch during a match. Hopefully, NYCFC will wear these on Opening Day when the 2025 campaign begins.