Football Jersey Size Guide India: S to 2XL, Fan & Player

Last updated 26 September 2026. Written by the Play Making Club team. We sell unofficial, fan-made football jerseys, so read the fit advice below as coming from a seller, and check the size chart on the product page before you order.

"Jerseys run small. Ordered XL Argentina shirt and it was smaller than a L." That line is from a real buyer, and size is the most common football jersey complaint on review sites. Almost always the cause is the same: ordering the letter you wear in T-shirts without checking whether the jersey is a fan cut or a player cut, and without measuring your chest.

This guide fixes that in ten minutes: measure at home, read the chart properly, and pick between S and 2XL for both the Fan Version and the Player Version.

The short answer

Measure your chest at the fullest point with a tape held level. For a Fan Version (relaxed, regular fit), pick the size whose chest range contains your number. For a Player Version (slim, athletic fit), take one size up from that, because it is cut noticeably narrower through the chest, shoulders and sleeves. If you are between two sizes, or you plan to wear a T-shirt underneath, go up.

What buyers actually get wrong (in their own words)

We read public Trustpilot reviews of football jersey sellers around the world (not our own store) and pulled out the sizing complaints and tips. The pattern is the same everywhere.

"Jerseys run small. Ordered XL Argentina shirt and it was smaller than a L. Reordered an XXL and it fit great."

Ruben Gonzalez, Trustpilot review of Kickoffshopper, 31 Jan 2026. Source

"My advice is to go a couple of sizes up. I'm usually a Large with most T-shirts and I went 2XL which [fits] perfectly."

Justin Somerville, Trustpilot review of Kickoffshopper, 31 Jan 2026. Source

"I usually wear a size S and ordered M as per their size chart so that it could fit a bit loose on my body. Instead, the size was smaller than my regular S tshirts."

Lord_Lucifer, Trustpilot review of an Indian jersey store, 24 Sep 2026. Source

"if you are larger, what they don't tell you is the shirts may be the slim fit versions. I bought 2xl as I like my shirts extra baggy and they're unusable."

Jonathan Packer, Trustpilot review of Classic Football Jerseys, 11 Jun 2026. Source

"Player Version jerseys are designed with a slim, athletic fit for professional athletes, which makes them noticeably tighter/smaller than standard Fans Version jerseys. We always recommend sizing up when ordering Player Versions."

MineJerseys Soccer Shop, seller reply on Trustpilot, 19 Aug 2026. Source

"They fit like a normal t-shirt I'd say.. I ordered XL and would say they are near enough true to that."

Ruairidh, Trustpilot review of FootJersey Store, 8 Jul 2026. Source

"I sized up due to other reviews, but I probably didn't have to. Ordered medium instead of small - and it's definitely correct for a medium."

Hay there Kay, Trustpilot review of FootJersey Store, 1 Jul 2026. Source

"I ordered an XL which I taken every single shirt or T-shirt that I own. This is not an XL at all. The return policy says that they will not take this because I have clipped off the tags."

Kevin Porreco, Trustpilot review of FootJersey Store, 9 Jun 2026. Source

Notice the two camps. Buyers of slim or player cuts say "go up one or two"; buyers of regular fan cuts say it fits like a normal T-shirt. Both are right. They bought different cuts, and neither checked which one before ordering.

How to measure yourself at home

You need a soft tailor's tape. No tape? Use a string, mark it, and measure it against a steel scale.

1. Chest. Stand straight, arms relaxed at your sides, breathing normally. Wrap the tape around the fullest part of your chest, just under the armpits, and keep it level all the way round your back. Snug, not tight. Write the number down in inches or cm.
2. Length. Ask someone to measure from the highest point of your shoulder (next to the neck) straight down to where you want the hem to sit, usually just below the belt line. Compare this to the "length" column on the chart.
3. Shoulder. Measure across the back from shoulder bone to shoulder bone. Wide shoulders for your chest size? Lean towards the bigger size, especially on a Player Version.
4. The flat-lay check. Take the best-fitting T-shirt you own, lay it flat, measure armpit to armpit and double it. That is the chest measurement of a garment you already like. Match it against the chart instead of guessing.

How a football jersey fits compared to a regular T-shirt

A football jersey is a sports garment first. The fabric is a light polyester knit with far less give than a cotton tee, the shoulders are cut narrower so the sleeve seam sits on the shoulder bone, and the body follows the torso rather than hanging straight. So even a "regular fit" jersey feels closer to the body than a cotton T-shirt in the same letter size, which is why buyers who "take XL in every shirt" get a shock when a jersey XL arrives.

Two more things matter for Indian buyers: jerseys sold online are usually unisex, so the chest ranges are men's chest ranges, and letter sizes are not standard across sellers (one seller's M is 38 to 40 inches, another's is 40 to 42). Ignore the letter, read the chart.

Fan Version vs Player Version: why the player cut runs slim

Every jersey at Play Making Club is one of two builds, and the label is in the product title and the filter on the football kits collection.

• Fan Version: relaxed regular fit, roomier through the chest and waist, the everyday "wear it to the cafe or the ground" cut. Order the size your chest measurement falls in.
• Player Version: slim athletic fit that mirrors what players wear on the pitch. Narrower chest, tighter sleeves, shorter body. Most people size up one from their fan size. If you like breathing room, or you have broad shoulders or a stomach, go up two.

Why does the player cut run small? It is designed for lean athletes at full speed, where loose fabric flaps and gets pulled, so the cut is meant to hug. On a normal adult body that becomes "it fits like a compression vest". Nothing is wrong with the jersey; the size label just means something different in this cut.

One practical point: many of our jerseys cost slightly more in XL and 2XL (at the time of writing, the Real Madrid 2026-27 Home Jersey (Player Version) is ₹949 in S to L, ₹999 in XL and ₹1,049 in 2XL). Sizing up on a player cut can cost ₹50 to ₹100 more; budget for it rather than squeezing into a size that does not fit.

Decision table: chest measurement to size (S to 2XL)

Source: this is the Play Making Club size chart shown in the "Size Chart" popup on every product page ("Jerseys, Standard Fit"), published in inches. We have converted to cm and rounded to the nearest 0.5 cm. The chart itself states that sizes may vary by ±0.5 inch. The Player Version column is our sizing-up guidance layered on top of that chart, not a separate chart.

Notes on reading the table:

• We stock S to 2XL. The chart also lists XS (36 to 38 in) and 3XL (48 to 50 in), which are not currently sold, so under 96.5 cm chest, S is the smallest option and will sit relaxed in the Fan Version.
• If your chest is above 122 cm, or you are at the top of the 2XL range and want a Player Version, message us on WhatsApp before ordering. We can share flat-lay measurements and real photos of the specific jersey so you are not guessing.
• If you are tall (6 ft or above) and sit at the bottom of a chest range, the next size up gives you the extra length.

Between two sizes? Do this

• Fan Version, chest exactly on the line (say 101.5 cm / 40 in): take the larger size (M, not S). A slightly roomy regular fit still looks like a jersey; a tight one looks like a mistake.
• Player Version, between sizes: go up. Then ask whether you want it fitted or relaxed. Fitted means one up from your fan size; relaxed means two up.
• Wearing a T-shirt or vest underneath (common in winter and on trains): add one size to whatever you picked above.
• Broad shoulders or a bigger stomach than chest: size by the bigger of the two measurements, not by chest alone.

Shorts sizing

Shorts are simpler. Go by waist, not by the jersey size you picked, and do not size up the way you would on a Player Version jersey. Too big looks baggy and slides; too small rides up at the thigh.

Many of our kits come as a "Jersey with Shorts" set, where one size pick (S to 2XL) covers both. Standalone shorts are in the football shorts collection: club shorts are listed in S to 2XL, while some national-team shorts show a single option with no size selector. If you do not see a size dropdown, message us on WhatsApp with your waist size before ordering.

For reference, a typical adult unisex shorts chart used by Indian custom-jersey makers (published by My Sports Jersey, not by us) runs S 28 to 30 in waist, M 30 to 32, L 32 to 34, XL 34 to 36, 2XL 36 to 38. Football shorts have an elastic waist and drawcord, so 1 inch over the top of a range is fine; 2 inches is not.

The hoodies and zippers are Fan Version builds in S to 2XL: order your fan-jersey size, one up if you will layer a jersey underneath.

Common sizing mistakes (learned from real buyers)

1. Ordering the letter you wear in T-shirts. The most repeated mistake in the reviews above. Measure your chest once; it takes a minute.
2. Not checking whether it is a fan or player cut. The 2XL buyer who found the shirts "unusable" bought slim versions without realising. Look for "Fan Version" or "Player Version" in the title.
3. Sizing up on a fan cut because a friend said "jerseys run small". Their friend bought a player cut. The buyer who "sized up due to other reviews, but I probably didn't have to" is the flip side of the same mistake.
4. Trusting a chart from a different seller. Our S starts at a 38-inch chest; some sellers' S starts at 34. Use the chart on the product page you are buying from.
5. Cutting the tags before trying it on. One reviewer lost his return because of this. Try the jersey on with tags intact, over the innerwear you would normally wear.
6. Ordering without asking. A 30-second WhatsApp message with your chest measurement is cheaper than a wrong jersey.

Returns and exchanges: the honest reality

Here is the part most size guides skip. Every Play Making Club jersey is made to order, so our refund policy (last updated 4 May 2026) does not accept returns or exchanges for an incorrect size selection. Replacements are free if you receive the wrong product (including a different size from the one you selected), a manufacturing defect or transit damage, provided you record an unboxing video and email within 48 hours of delivery. Orders can be cancelled within 90 minutes. Dispatch is typically 4 to 6 business days and delivery inside India roughly 7 to 13 business days in total, with a flat ₹200 shipping fee. The current refund policy and shipping policy pages are the final word, so read them before ordering.

In practice, the size you pick is the size you keep. So measure, use the chart, and if anything is unclear, ask us on WhatsApp before checkout; we would rather send you a flat-lay measurement of the exact jersey than have you receive something that does not fit.

FAQ

Should I size up in a Player Version jersey?

Yes, for most people. The Player Version is a slim athletic cut, so take one size up from the size your chest measurement gives you on the chart. Take two sizes up if you want a relaxed feel or will wear a T-shirt underneath.

Does a Fan Version jersey fit true to size?

Broadly, yes. The Fan Version is a regular relaxed fit and buyers describe it as fitting "like a normal t-shirt". Order the size whose chest range contains your measurement; if you are on the line between two, take the larger.

What size football jersey should I buy if I wear M in Indian T-shirts?

Do not go by the letter. Many Indian men who wear M in casual wear have a chest of 38 to 40 inches, which is an S on the Play Making Club chart for a Fan Version and an M for a Player Version. Measure first; a 40 to 42 inch chest is an M (fan) or L (player).

Should football shorts fit tight or loose?

Neither. Pick shorts by waist, not by jersey size, and stay in your regular size. The elastic waist and drawcord handle an inch of difference; sizing up two sizes makes them slide and look baggy.

Can I exchange a jersey if the size is wrong?

Not at Play Making Club, because jerseys are made to order; the refund policy excludes incorrect size selection. Wrong-item, defect and transit-damage claims are covered with an unboxing video within 48 hours. Check the current policy page and message us before ordering if you have any doubt.

Ready to order? Browse the football kits by Fan Version or Player Version. Still choosing which jersey rather than which size? See our top 10 jerseys to own for the 2026 World Cup.

How we put this together: sizing rules come from the Play Making Club size chart on our product pages; buyer quotes are verbatim from public Trustpilot reviews of other football jersey sellers, linked to the source review; shorts conventions were cross-checked against published charts from Indian sellers. Play Making Club sells unofficial fan-made merchandise and is not affiliated with any club, league or kit manufacturer.