Jersey Sizing Guide: How to Get the Right Fit in Every League

How to measure for a jersey

Three numbers decide it, and you can take all of them in a minute with a soft tape measure. Chest is the one that sets your size on every chart on this site.

• Chest — Fullest part, under the arms, tape level and not pulled tight
• Length — High point of the shoulder to the hem — a Large sits at the hip on a 5′10″ to 6′0″ frame
• Waist — Narrowest point above the hips — it decides how the hem drapes
• Numeric sizes — 40 = S · 44 = M · 48 = L · 52 = XL · 56 = 2XL · 60 = 3XL · 64 = 4XL · 68 = 5XL
• US to EU — Add ten to the US number: US 44 = EU 54, US 48 = EU 58
• Between sizes — Size up to layer, or for a gift; otherwise take the smaller size

Measure with a normal breath and no clothing in the way. A tape pulled tight around a chest with a t-shirt on will read one or two inches small — enough to put you in the wrong size and into the wrong end of a size exchange.

What the numeric jersey sizes mean

NFL authentic shirts, NBA Swingman and authentic shirts, and most throwback ranges print a number on the label alongside the letter. That number is your chest in inches, and it is more precise than S/M/L because it maps directly to a measurement rather than a fit preference. The chart runs from Small through 5XL.

If your chest measures 43 inches, order the 48. If you want it loose, order the 52. The same jersey in a European size chart would be labelled Large or XL — this is exactly why a measurement beats a letter when you are buying across leagues.

US to EU jersey size conversion

European sizing adds ten to the US number: a US Large (48) is an EU 58, and a US Medium (44) is an EU 54. The two systems describe the same chest, but the European jersey is usually cut slimmer at the same label, so a buyer who wears a US Large often takes an EU 60 or a European XL.

Two things worth knowing when you order from Europe. First, many European football kits use height in centimetres for kids’ sizes rather than letters, so a junior shirt may be labelled 128, 140 or 152 instead of a letter. Second, brands differ: the measurement you take at home is the only number that travels across every chart.

Which sizes we stock

Small through 3XL is carried across most of the ranges on this site — NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, NCAA and the soccer club shops. 4XL and 5XL are available on selected jerseys rather than every shirt, which matches what most brands do: extended sizing is graded in steps and most ranges stop at 3XL. When a shirt does run to 5XL, the size selector on the product page lists it.

How each league fits — at a glance

Each league cuts its jerseys for the sport underneath: football leaves room for pads, hockey leaves the most, soccer leaves none. That is the single reason the same letter feels different across the six ranges we stock.

Authentic, replica and fan versions

The tier you buy changes the fit as much as the league does. Authentic and player-issue jerseys are cut closer to the body, with tighter sleeves on the higher tiers; replica and fan versions are the forgiving option, with a standard consumer cut and room for a long-sleeve top underneath.

The practical version: if you normally wear a replica Large, take an authentic X-Large for a comparable feel. If you want to know what separates the tiers in the first place, our jersey tier comparison sets out the construction differences, and the authentic vs replica breakdown covers price, fabric and finish.

Women’s and youth sizing

Women’s cuts run narrower through the shoulder and slightly tapered at the waist. If you are buying from the men’s range, measure your bust and compare it directly against the men’s chest column rather than dropping a size — the numbers translate more accurately than the letters.

Youth jerseys are graded by age and chest together, so the chart on the product page is the one to follow. If the wearer is still growing, or the jersey is for layering, take the larger size.

When to size up — and when not to

Size up for an NFL or NHL jersey you intend to wear over a hoodie, for an authentic shirt in any league, or when the jersey is a gift and you cannot check the fit. Do not size up in the NBA: those jerseys are already long, and going up usually adds length you did not want rather than the room you did.

Printing, washing and how a jersey changes

Custom name and number printing is applied to order, which adds a few days to delivery, and printed jerseys cannot be exchanged for a different size. If you are buying for a specific matchday or as a gift, build that window in and check the size first.

Wash cool and inside out, and keep a printed jersey out of a hot dryer. Heat lifts namesets and cracks numbers; wear rarely does.

Sizing tables last reviewed 22 September 2026. Chest ranges follow the published size charts for the Nike, adidas and Fanatics ranges we stock, and stock levels by size are taken from our own catalogue. The interactive size finder uses your chest measurement only and stores nothing.