Sporting KC pays homage to 18th & Vine District with secondary jersey for 2026

Sporting KC hopes to light up the field with a new-look jersey that pays homage to the neon lights that have illuminated Kansas City’s 18th & Vine Jazz District for nearly a century.

Sporting KC on Wednesday unveiled its “18th & Vine” secondary uniform, or kit, for the forthcoming Major League Soccer season. It will be worn at times during the 2026-27 and 2027-28 seasons.

The look includes the team’s deep indigo blue with neon blue, pink and purple diamonds running up the sides and onto the chest. Inside the collar is a depiction of sheet music from Wilbert Harrison’s iconic song, “Kansas City (Here I Come).”

Inside the club’s monochromatic crest is an imprint of stars representing those on the American flag. All U.S.-based MLS teams have stars in their secondary-kit crests, while Canadian clubs’ jerseys feature maple leaves.

Sporting KC will wear the jersey during the team’s home opener at its stadium in Kansas City, Kansas. That match is set for 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 28 against the Columbus Crew.

Sporting’s introduction of the new secondary jersey includes a video featuring narration from Bob Kendrick, president of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.

“18th and Vine is where Kansas City found its voice,” Kendrick says in the video, “chords that now ring out loud and proud at Sporting Park. Whether you’re jamming in the gym or jumping in the cauldron, KC knows that at any given moment, any chord can strike. And if these new threads could talk, oh, the tales they tell, the songs they sing. Because KC rhythm echoes in our souls one generation to the next. Kansas City, here we come.”

Students from UMKC’s Jazz program held a pop-up concert in honor of the Sporting KC jersey release on the KC Streetcar during Wednesday’s morning commute.

All MLS teams have released either a primary or secondary jersey in the past two days, and Sporting KC isn’t the only club paying homage to its city’s musical roots.

The San Jose Earthquakes’ 2026 release is an ode to legendary San Francisco band The Grateful Dead. St. Louis City acknowledges the time that Tina Turner called St. Louis home with a shiny gold kit.

Notable other releases include the Philadelphia Union’s “1776 Kit,” which honors the nation’s 250th anniversary. The jersey features imprints of Benjamin Franklin, the Constitution, the Liberty Bell, the Declaration of Independence and John Hancock’s signature.

Compass Minerals continues to be Sporting KC’s primary kit sponsor, while St. Luke’s will be featured on the right shoulder sleeve and Apple TV will appear on the left.

For fans, a replica version of the new secondary jersey costs $99.99 plus tax, while an authentic on-field patch jersey runs $159.99 plus tax. Name and number customization entails a $35 upcharge.

Sporting KC kicks off the 2026 MLS season Feb. 21 in San Jose, California. The match against the Earthquakes is set to begin at 9:30 p.m. Central Time.

Daniel Sperry covers soccer for The Star. He can be reached at sperry.danielkc@gmail.com.

This story was originally published February 11, 2026 at 12:17 PM.