League One Gets Us Started
Portland Hearts of Pine kicked off 2026 with their Lighthouse Kit, Naples showed off their local pier, & expansion sides Boise, Cosmos and Sarasota released their inaugural home kits ahead of the 2026
KitSZN 2026 started fast with Portland Hearts of Pine releasing their Lighthouse kit on 1/1/2026. So that is where we will start - Portland Hearts of Pine and USL League One.
Portland Hearts of Pine - The Lighthouse Kit
Following a 2025 inaugural campaign that brought all the attention to Portland, the club wanted to use that spotlight the first day of 2026. Releasing the “Lighthouse Kit” on January 1st. In a World Cup year, the club wanted to bring toghether that World Cup energy with Portland. That is where the West Quoddy Head Light House comes in.
One of Maine’s most iconic light houses, marks the Easternmost edge of the United States. Pair that with one of the most beloved US Kits - the Waldo Kits - Portland was able to perfectly bridge the two together.
With a simple Red and White Hoops pattern, Portland sticks with simplicity. It worked in 2025 and their attempt at something different - the Blaze Kit - recieved mixed reviews. Loved how the team stuck to their simple nature but added in the details we look for. In the Hoops, you can find little Red and White Hearts. It is subtle, but one of favroite things to do here on the show - dig for an Easter Egg
.While we love the little Heart detail, the iconic Lighthouse + Waldo Kit combo, there just isn’t a lot to this kit. It is a simple hoop kit. Nothing wrong with that and it works beautifully when it does - we just prefer bold and brash deisgns. This compliments perfectly with the Woods and Water Kit (home) from last season.
Our Score: We wanted a little more, but a 3.75 from us just feels right.
New York Cosmos - The Cosmos are Back Kit
If you haven’t heard - the Cosmos are back.
In a move that looks soaked in nostalgia, the Cosmos released their home kit ahead of the 2026 season. We talked with the designer - Bastion Sportswear interview - a few weeks ago about the responsibility to the fans who have loved the Cosmos since the Pele days.
That responsibility led them to this home kit. Going with the Green as their main color and overall simple design just feels like the Cosmos. Words can’t fully describe it for me. There is a little gradiant stripe pattern that we were told leads more into the Away and Third Kits.
By itself, this kit feels like a Cosmos kit but simple. It is is apart of a greater collection for the season with the other kits, this could turn out to be one of our favorite kit lineups for 2026.
Our Score: 2.25
Atheltic Club Boise - Basque Kit
A theme we noticed in 2025 that seems to be continuing - simplicity does amazing when executed well. The inaigural home kit from AC Boise does that. We have dubbed it the “Basque Kit” for the Basque roots there in Boise - there is nothing to say this is a Basque Kit. We just couldn’t name it the Home Kit, we are more creative than that.
The Black and Green works beautifully. We’ve seen Greenville and Lexington use this combo to great success. Glad a team will be utilizing it full time.
The lightnining bold pattern is subtle but adds in a depth of layering to the kit. The Green accent on the cuffs and collar stand out, and the Green under the sleeves is something I would personally want to see more of.
This is a simple kit, but the subtle lightening bolt pattern, the accents and overall well executed kit does what an inaugural home kit is supposed to do - sets up the brand.
Our Score: 3.75
FC Naples - Pier Pilings Kit
FC Naples played it safe and went in on the “Naples is a retirement home” city vibes. We believe that worked aesthically to setting up their identity. In 2026, they decided to take it up a little bit. Adding in the pilings from the historic Naples Pier, we get this cool repeated patern on top of the Blue.
Speaking of Blue, this kit features two different shades of Blue. I LOVE Blue on Blue. Maybe it is my Indy Eleven bias, but seeing those together just looks great. The lighter of the two always stands out and isn’t a typical white used for contrast.
This Pier Pilings Kit also sticks with the collar identity set up last season. All the kits released so far from Naples are things I would wear. It is like they designed these for someone like me who can wear it at work - either in an office or school.
Our Score: 3.88
Sararsota Paradise - Primetime Streak Kit
I already talked about this kit in detail here on BeyondThe90 in January.
I will go ahead and copy what I wrote there here:
As Sarasota Paradise move up into League One in 2026, they decided it was prudent to stick with tradition already set. Unlike Fort Wayne’s approach, Sarasota stuck with what has worked in League Two.
Staying true with their base of Navy Blue with their Red and Green stripes in the middle alongside a centered crest. Also worth a note, there is not front kit sponsor. Something that home kits for the Paradise have not had.
The launch video was filmed inside the historic Sailor Circus Arena and features student performers from the Sailor Circus Academy, a core program of the Circus Arts Conservatory. As Sarasota is known as the “Circus City”, it was only fitting to use this site for the video shoot.
Per the club:
Sarasota Paradise has officially unveiled its 2026 Primary Jersey, The Primetime Streak, a design that honors Sarasota’s rich cultural legacy while embracing the city’s next chapter as it steps onto the professional soccer stage. Introduced through a cinematic launch filmed with the help of the Circus Arts Conservatory, the jersey stands as a symbol of unity, ambition, and shared identity where heritage meets the future.
Designed for a city in its prime, The Primetime Streak reflects Sarasota’s history of creativity and performance while marking the beginning of a new professional era. More than a uniform, it represents belief, momentum, and a shared moment in time for club and community alike.
This kit feels like the identity (get used to hearing that a lot from us this season) the club has created for itself, but now as they make the jump up - they’ve added to it. With a stripe pattern across the front and back helps to add more details to this design. This is my favorite of Sarasota’s to date.
Our Score: 4.13
KitSZN Garage Sale 2026 - Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota
As someone who was born and has familiy in Minnesota, what has been going on up there provoked us to do something about it. That is where this Garage Sale came in.
To participate follow these steps:
- You can review this Google Sheets document for an item that you would like form us.
- Email us at kitszn.uslshow@gmail.com to claim an item
- If unclaimed, we will provide payment options and acqurie shipment information. Payment options include Venmo, PayPal or Proof of Donation to Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota .
100% of the proceeds from this Garage Sale will be going to the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota.
So far we have raised $395 from 12 items.
Let us know if there is anything you like or if you simply want to donate you can.
Thank you!
Let us know your thoughts on our ratings for these kits - were we too harsh? too generous?
