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England fans given 'dangerous' World Cup kit warning after fury over 135 shirt

EXCLUSIVE: Fake football kits can contain 'dangerous chemicals' such as arsenic which could seriously damage supporters' health if they choose a budget version over the official 135 England shirt

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Declan Rice modelling the new England kit

Football fans have been warned that counterfeit kits could seriously damage their health amid fears England supporters, fuming over World Cup replica prices, will buy bogus ones instead.

Telly consumer watchdog Scott Dixon, who runs the Complaints Resolver website, said he believes fans will go fake after we revealed an official full match strip could cost up to 175.

Three Lions World Cup replica kits for this summer's tournament in the US, Mexico and Canada, are the highest priced ever, with adult match shirts setting supporters back 134.99 - an 8% increase on a 124.99 Euro 24 jersey.

According to sports merchandise expert Dr Peter Rohlmann, replica shirts cost just 8.50 to make, plus 9.50 for marketing, licensing and distribution and VAT - meaning they generate huge profits.

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Marcus Rashford shows off England's World Cup strip

Scott said the unintended consequences of the blatant greed of the Football Association and manufacturer Nike will be fans buying cheap counterfeits which is known to fund organised crime.

Counterfeits, often shipped from China, cost as little as a tenner. But anti-fake campaigner Planet Foot, which sells official strips, warned that going bogus could spell more trouble for fans.

Tests in the US showed one in three counterfeit sports kits contain dangerous chemicals like cadmium, lead and even arsenic.

These substances, which are absent from official, approved jerseys, can cause irritation or allergies, especially in children, a Planet Foot spokesman said.

Counterfeits can pose health risks. Since they don't meet any standards they can be made with toxic inks or materials. Wearing a fake jersey therefore potentially means wearing clothing that is harmful to the skin.

[The home shirt features the words Happy And Glorious in the inside neck.]

The official home shirt features the words 'Happy And Glorious' in the inside neck.

According to the UK Health Security Agency arsenic can damage the stomach, kidneys, liver, heart and the nervous system, cause cancer and 'in severe cases' death.

"Arsenic compounds may be corrosive and can cause burns to the skin or eyes on contact. Long-term exposure to arsenic can cause changes to the skin and blood circulation," it says.

Planet Foot said the quality of fake gear was often poor with less breathable fabric, fragile seams, colours that fade in the wash meaning it had a limited lifespan, deteriorates quickly with numbers that peel off while an official jersey will last for years.

Fakes are often sold by dodgy dealers on unscrupulous websites offering no after-sales service in case of a problem, poor deliveries and unsecured payment systems, it said.

Counterfeit sports goods sales across Europe total 430m-a-year and hit club budgets, meaning there is less cash for transfers, youth training and infrastructure.

The spokesman said buying official gives fans peace of mind.

You know your money is going to the right people - the clubs you love, the brands that innovate to improve equipment and the employees who work in regulated conditions.

[Fake kits]

Trading Standards officers work with Border Force to stop fake goods entering the UK (Image: Leicestershire County Council)

You are directly supporting the football economy and the development of your favorite team, they added.

Sports minister Stephanie Peacock said kit pricing was a commercial decision and a matter for the FA.

But I am sympathetic to fans' concerns and we do want people to think about affordability, she added.

Nick Jones, a member of England Supporters Travel Club, said: I don't think it comes as a big surprise that they are these prices. But wages clearly haven't kept up at the same rate as inflation so it is hitting people's purses and wallets hard.

I don't blame anybody at all for buying fakes. In the last 24 hours in the group chats I'm in, links are being shared for fake kits for a fraction of the cost.

Getting a kit for a tournament is a big part of showing your support for the team for some people, whether you're watching in the stadium, at home, or with friends.

It partly feels like a duty and kids especially don't want to be left out.

Englands World Cup kit - unveiled on Friday - is made of recycled textiles and does not feature a controversial multi-coloured St Georges Cross that appeared on the back of the collar of the last design.

A Nike spokesman said: We know that any price increase matters to fans and we never take that lightly.

We regularly review our product costs to make sure were delivering the best possible performance and industry-leading innovation, while balancing rising material, manufacturing and logistics costs.

The FA had not responded to a request for comment.

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