Retro football exhibition takes to the Merrion Centre 'pitch' to kick off 2026 FIFA World Cup
A new immersive exhibition at the Merrion Centre explores decades of football culture, memory, and community through classic kits and personal stories
With the FIFA World Cup just around the corner, Leeds is gearing up for a summer dominated by the beautiful game.
But while thousands will be focusing on the pitch, a new exhibition in the heart of the city centre is turning its attention to the stands, the terraces, and the fabric of football fandom itself.
Football in Fabric, opening this June on the Merrion Centre’s upper balcony level, is set to be a major pull for local football purists and nostalgia hunters alike; instead of corporate branding, the immersive exhibition looks at how identity, memory, and community are stitched into decades of shirts, memorabilia, and photography.
The project is the brainchild of lifelong football enthusiast and collector Nicol Rorrison.
For Nicol, the exhibition charts a deeply personal journey through the highs and lows of modern football - sparked by childhood memories of the iconic 1986 World Cup in Mexico, an era that defined a generation of classic kits and cultural shifts.
“This exhibition began as a personal project rooted in football, nostalgia, and memory," Nicol explains. "But it has grown into something much broader about people, friendship, and shared experience.
“Football shirts and memorabilia often carry stories that go far beyond sport itself. I hope visitors will see parts of their own lives and memories reflected in the exhibition."
Beyond the glass cases of rare and nostalgic jerseys, the exhibition aims to celebrate the cross-generational connections that sport creates, showing how a simple piece of polyester can connect people across cities, borders, and eras.
The launch coincides with a wider centre-wide tournament build-up, which includes interactive fan installations.
Visitors will spot a dedicated World Cup photo board installation, tying into a ‘Take a Shot and Win’ social media competition, with prizes up for grabs from locals including gig tickets for the neighbouring First Direct Bank Arena, complimentary meals, and free karaoke sessions at K-Cube.
For the centre’s owners, Town Centre Securities PLC (TCS), the goal is to capture the unique, fleeting communal energy that only a major tournament can bring to the city.
"Football has an incredible ability to bring people together," says James Broughton, Head of Marketing & Communications for TCS. "Football in Fabric is a brilliant addition to the centre and offers something genuinely unique for Leeds.
“It gives visitors plenty of reasons to visit—whether that’s picking up match-day essentials, entering competitions, or simply soaking up the atmosphere."
Further details on the official opening dates and launch events are expected to be announced in the coming weeks, with information to be made available through the Merrion Centre’s official website.