Newcastle United 26-27 Third Kit Lilac Because of The Riyadh Air Connection?
Aug 12, 2026, by Chris
- Kit Design and Colors: Newcastle United's 26-27 third kit, designed by Adidas, features a distinctive lilac and deep purple color scheme.
- Riyadh Air Connection: The lilac color choice was reportedly intended to align with the visual identity of Saudi Arabian carrier Riyadh Air, which was considered a potential main shirt sponsor.
- Shared Ownership and Influence: Given Riyadh Air's corporate colors of lavender and indigo purple and the shared ownership through Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF), it is suggested that Adidas designed the kit around the airline's branding despite KNOX Hydrate becoming the eventual sponsor.
Newcastle United's 26-27 third kit features an eye-catching lilac and deep purple color scheme created by Adidas. While the soft lavender hue makes for a striking aesthetic on the pitch, Phil Hook, NUFC Gallowgate, and Kitkingdom83 pointed out that the choice of colors was apparently originally intended to align with Saudi Arabian carrier Riyadh Air as the shirt sponsor.
Newcastle United fan Phil Hook was the first to point out why the color was chosen.
Newcastle United Third Color Chosen Because of Possible New Main Sponsor?
Riyadh Air's visual identity, created by design consultancy PriestmanGoode, relies heavily on a distinct palette of lavender and indigo purple. Given the shared ownership ties through Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF), it seems well possible that Adidas designed the 26-27 third strip around the airline's corporate colors well ahead of production deadlines.
Riyadh Air was apparently in the running to become Newcastle United's new main sponsor. However, with KNOX Hydrate appearing on the front of the kit instead, the unique lilac base remains a nod to the original sponsorship concept.
Indeed, in the 2022-23 season, Newcastle United started to use green as a homage to Saudi Arabia.
Do you think the lilac color originates from Riyadh Air? Comment below.
Premium Material Returns to the World Cup Champions Badge
Alongside the second star above the crest, Spain officially unveiled a new 3D embossed World Champions badge during their recent 3-2 victory over England in the UEFA Nations League. This badge previously appeared on Spain's jersey after their 2026 FIFA World Cup triumph.
Compared to the heat-applied plastic version seen on Argentina's kits, the new badge from Cromotransfer offers a significantly more premium look, featuring an embossed surface and a multi-layered structure. Before that, Adidas has increasingly shifted to pre-applying tournament and champions badges directly in its manufacturing facilities.
However, this upgrade will be exclusive to the authentic player-version jerseys. The fan-version replica shirts will continue to feature the standard heat-transferred plastic badge.
Big thanks to @whatthekit_x for the collage.
