From Tokyo to Bangkok, Seoul to Hanoi, discover the football shirt shops and collectors worth knowing across East Asia.
Football shirt collecting has never been more global. While the UK and Europe remain hugely important to the vintage shirt scene, some of the most interesting collectors, sellers and suppliers are now operating thousands of miles away. Across Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong and Southeast Asia, you'll find incredible collections of European classics, rare domestic shirts and obscure pieces that rarely make it onto the traditional European market.
So we wanted to find out more.
We spoke to our friends at EH Retro Kits, with Fraser recently travelling across Asia and meeting some of the incredible suppliers behind the scene. Having seen the stores and collections first-hand, he's given us his rundown of the ultimate football shirt shops and collectors to know across the Far East.
Whether you're planning a trip, hunting for your next grail or simply looking for some new accounts to follow, here's where to start. The best vintage football shirt shops in East Asia...
Japan
Japan has developed one of the most fascinating football shirt cultures in Asia. There's a huge appetite for European football, but also an appreciation for domestic football, unusual designs and the history behind a shirt.
Gooooat Store
Instagram: @gooooat.store
Gooooat Store is another account to have on your radar if you're looking to explore Japan’s football shirt scene but avoid the business of Tokyo. They have 2 stores located in both Fukuoka and Kyoto that are full of J.League greatness.
EH Retro Review:
"I visited both stores, the one in Fukuoka after a short boat ride from Seoul, and the Kyoto store, where I met the owner, who kindly helped me source a Kyoto Sanga shirt ahead of a match I was attending
Best for: J-League and a curated selection of football memorabilia.
Smog Mikan
Instagram: @smog_mikan
They have everything from JLeague, national team shirts and even Scottish club shirts.
EH Retro Review:
"This is based in the neighbourhood I was staying in, Shimokitazawa which was sick and 100% recommend. I picked up a Ngayoa Grampus tee and the owner was super friendly. "
Best for: Everything with namesets.
Eurosport Tokyo
Instagram: @eurosportstokyo
Tokyo is one of the world's great football cities despite not having the same traditional collecting reputation as London, Milan or Barcelona. Eurosport Tokyo is one account worth checking out when exploring the city's football shirt scene.
EH Retro Review:
"Whilst this is a modern shirt store there was so much Japan World Cup 26’ memorabilia on show. I picked up all their remaining stock of the new Japan LS shirt for people back home (the LS wasn’t available to buy in Europe)"
Best for: Modern football shirts in Tokyo.
USED GR
Instagram: @used__gr
Another Japanese account worth following if you're looking for second-hand and vintage football pieces and general vintage clothing.
EH Retro Review:
"Super cool owner and a nice curated selection of shirts with reasonable prices for Tokyo"
Best for: Second-hand football shirts.
Hong Kong
Hong Kong has long been an important hub for football shirt collectors in Asia, with Mong Kok in particular developing a reputation for specialist football retailers.
Free Kick Online
Instagram: @freekickonline_2.0
One of the accounts to know when exploring Hong Kong's football shirt scene, Free Kick Online offers collectors another route into the country's growing vintage market.
EH Retro Review:
"I managed to pick up the Japan Kirin sponsored training shirt here despite it being sold out in Japan! Huuuge selection"
Best for: modern football shirts and training wear.
Y21 Football
Instagram: @y21football
Y21 Football is another Hong Kong account worth having on your radar.
EH Retro Review:
"Really cool shop with an astro turf shop sign"
Best for: European and international football shirts.
Football Kingdom HK
Instagram: @footballkingdomhk
Football Kingdom is one of Hong Kong's established football shirt destinations, with a particularly broad range of international and club shirts.
The store has previously been noted for its selection of European, Japanese, Korean and Thai football shirts, making it an especially interesting stop for collectors looking for something outside the standard Premier League selection.
EH Retro Review:
"Unfortunately this one was closed, but I’ve heard good things! Highly recommended from a lot of locals I spoke to on my travels, gutted to miss it."
Best for: European, Asian and international football shirts
Captain Football Shop
Instagram: @captain_football_shop
Captain Football Shop is a specialist football-shirt retailer with a strong focus on rare, vintage and authentic shirts, particularly from Japan, Europe and Hong Kong
EH Retro Review:
“Unbelievable selection and located in the popular area of Mong Kok”
South Korea
Seoul has become one of the most exciting cities for football fashion and collecting in Asia. The country's combination of football culture, streetwear and appreciation for vintage sportswear makes it a particularly interesting market.
Collectors Room Seoul
Instagram: @collectorsroom.seoul
The name says it all. Collectors Room Seoul is firmly focused on the world of collecting and is one of the accounts worth knowing if you're exploring Seoul's football shirt scene.
EH Retro Review:
"They have loads of choice and the owner is a massive Chelsea fan. They had a pop up event at Cafe Nivelcrack so we chatted about all things Aberdeen and Chelsea over a beer. "
Best for: Serious collectors and harder-to-find pieces.
Seoul Soccer Club
Instagram: @seoulsoccerclub
New spot located in Itaweon, Seoul.
EH Retro Review:
"Such a sick store and owner, I took inspiration from here for a few things and as a thank you I sent the owner an EHRK t-shirt when I got home. I have a Seoul Soccer Club one in Edinburgh and he now has an EHRK one in Seoul, pretty sick. I also grabbed an 08. BNWT Seoul FC sweatshirt"
Best for: Football shirts and Seoul's collecting scene.
EH Retro pick of the bunch:
There’s more spots in Seoul but these 2 were the best and where I could interact with the owners the most. If I had to pick one city from the whole of Asia to live in it would be Seoul without question.
Singapore
Singapore has quietly developed a strong collecting community and is becoming an increasingly interesting destination for anyone looking beyond the traditional European vintage market.
Cult Fave Football Shirts
Website: cultfavefootballshirts.com
Cult Fave Football Shirts is one of Singapore's names to know. The store focuses on curated football shirts with an emphasis on rarity, history and standout design.
Best for: Curated vintage and collector-grade shirts.
Vietnam
Vietnam's football shirt scene is growing rapidly, with European football nostalgia mixing with a strong local collecting and streetwear culture.
Red Card Saigon
Instagram: @redcard.saigon
Based in Ho Chi Minh City, Red Card Saigon is one account to follow if you're exploring Vietnam's football shirt scene.
EH Retro Review:
"Jumped on a 20 minute motorbike grab and headed to the store. The owner also has a cafe below his shop so I had a lovely Vietnamese coffee before some serious shirt hunting. Picked up a Scotland 96’ tracky amongst other things. "
Best for: Football shirts in Ho Chi Minh City.
Tiệm Gác Xép Football
Instagram: @tiemgacxep.football
Another Vietnamese account worth exploring for collectors looking for vintage and retro football shirts outside the traditional European market.
EH Retro Review:
"The owner is super nice, I also met Jake from Memory Kits here where all 3 of us chatted things footy. I picked up around 15 shirts from Scotland tops to Sampdoria kits. Great spot if you’re looking to avoid all the fakes in the old quarter.”
Best for: Vintage and retro football shirts.
Thailand
Thailand has one of Southeast Asia's most established football cultures, and its vintage shirt community is well worth exploring.
All Around Football Shop
Instagram: @allaroundfootballshop
As the name suggests, All Around Football Shop has a broad football focus and is another account worth knowing when exploring the Vietnamese market.
EH Retro Review:
"Possibly the nicest owners in the world. This was my first stop on my travels and its owned by a lovely couple and their friend. We chatted football via google translate and kept in touch throughout my Asia travels"
Best for: A broad selection of football shirts.
Ausgang 51
Instagram: @ausgang51
Another account worth exploring as you dive into Thailand's growing football shirt community.
EH Retro Review:
"You have to follow this account, they are everywhere and have a great selection of shirts. So many people know them from their shirt shopping docs across the world. "
Best for: Vintage football and sportswear.
16. Salmon Locker BKK
Instagram: @salmonlocker_bkk
Based in Bangkok, Salmon Locker is another name worth knowing if you're hunting for football shirts in Thailand.
EH Retro Review:
"Great selection of football training shirts and memorabilia. They have 2 store in the same shopping centre. Worth a follow. "
Best for: Football shirts in Bangkok.
Why Asia's Football Shirt Scene Matters
The most exciting thing about discovering football shirts in Asia is that you aren't always looking at the same market you see in Europe.
Collectors have different tastes, different connections to clubs and different ideas about what makes a shirt special.
A Premier League shirt that is relatively easy to find in London might be highly desirable in Seoul. A Japanese club shirt that gets overlooked by European collectors could be a grail for someone on the other side of the world.
That's what makes football shirt collecting so interesting. The global market is getting bigger, but it's also becoming more diverse.
Discover Football Shirts on Showboat
At Showboat, we're building a home for football shirt collectors around the world.
You can catalogue your collection, track valuations, explore other collectors and discover shirts from clubs and countries all over the world.
With thousands of collectors already uploading their collections, the Showboat database is growing every day.
Have a collection? Add it to Showboat.
Found a shop we've missed? Let us know.
There are clearly plenty more out there.
