Schalke 04 Announce Umbro Kit Deal
Jun 25, 2017, by Chris
FC Schalke 04 and Adidas will go separate ways after 55 years in Summer 2018. The club today officially announced a deal with the Double Diamond brand Umbro from the 2018-19 season, confirming the previous reports of German newspaper BILD.
Schalke's head of marketing, Alexander Jobst, discussed the reasoning behind the switch: "Our decision-making over the last few months has had a focus on three core strategic points: reputation, profitability and identity. Umbro were the clear leaders in all three regards, which has led us to decide against extending our partnership with adidas and instead make the move to Umbro."
"We would like to express our sincere thanks to adidas for decades of successful co-operation. We are looking forward to beginning our work with Umbro, a traditional company that takes things in new directions and fits us perfectly. Together we share the aim of further strengthening the S04 brand both domestically and internationally."
Schalke 04 Announce Umbro Kit Deal
According to BILD's sources, Umbro will pay the German club 6 million Euro per season. The new Umbro Schalke deal would be valid for three years with an option to extend the contract until 2022.
The newspaper also reports that Adidas, who currently have a six-year contract worth 5.5 million Euro per season with the club, only wanted to extend until 2020 for 3.5 million Euro plus success bonuses per year.
Michael Scholz, spokesman for Umbro, said: "FC Schalke 04 and Umbro both carry a great deal of tradition. Schalke has a long history. We therefore share common goals and values. We are delighted and honoured to be part of the next major chapter in Schalke's history."
Schalke's previous negotiations with Under Armour probably ended with the fact that the Baltimore-based brand could only begin from 2019 onwards.
The Double Diamond brand Umbro also makes the kits for Everton, Eindhoven and German second division club Nuremberg.
Are your surprised that Umbro will become the new kit maker of Schalke 04? let us know in the comments below.
Monopoli 26-27 Centenary Kit Released
Italian Serie C club SS Monopoli 1966 and kit supplier Joma have officially unveiled a special centenary kit celebrating 100 years since the arrival of football in the city (1926-2026). Branded as the 'Special Kit 100 Audace', the shirt pays homage to the historic Audace Monopoli team and the roots of the local game.
Stepping away from the club's traditional green and white palette, the Joma Monopoli 2026-27 centenary jersey adopts a classic black-and-white striped design. The kit features a retro-inspired collar construction, a golden Joma logo on the chest, and an archival Monopoli crest. Subtle tonal jacquard graphics are woven directly into the fabric.
Completed with matching black shorts and socks, the commemorative Monopoli 26-27 centenary kit is available via the club's official webshop and local retail locations.
São Paulo Feminino 26-27 Third Kit Released - First-Ever Exclusive Women's Kit
São Paulo FC and New Balance have officially unveiled the new third kit for the club's women's team. Marking a historic milestone for the Tricolor Paulista, this release represents the first time the Brazilian club has designed a third shirt exclusively for São Paulo Feminino.
The New Balance São Paulo 26-27 women's third jersey arrives in an elegant lilac base inspired by the lotus flower, symbolizing strength, resilience, and the power to flourish in adverse conditions. The lower portion of the shirt is adorned with a delicate watermark pattern of blooming lotus petals that fades subtly into the fabric. In addition, the kit features a commemorative lotus icon on the upper back and the embroidered phrase "Somos Lótus, Somos Luta" on the shoulder.
Contrasting deep purple details highlight the V-neck collar, sleeve trims, and sponsor branding, while the club crest and New Balance logo are applied with a 3D TPU glazed finish. Built with moisture-wicking NB Dry fabric made from 100% recycled polyester, the kit is completed by dark purple shorts and socks.
Al-Jabalain 26-27 Home & Third Kits Released
Saudi Arabian side Al-Jabalain have unveiled their new home and third kits, made by Skillano and to be worn in the upcoming 26-27 Saudi First Division season.
The new designs bring interesting approaches to the traditional colorway: The home kit features a brown and white striped base with a diagonal graphic on the lower hips, while the third kit uses a complicated subtle pattern on a clean white look.
What do you think of the Skillano Al-Jabalain 26-27 home and third kits? Let us know in the comments below.
Special Detail on the FA Community Shield Sleeve Patch
The sleeve patch worn during recent 2026 FA Community Shield match featured a unique, customized touch: the ribbon running across the shield was split into red and sky blue, representing the primary colors of Arsenal and Manchester City.
This bespoke ribbon colorway tradition first debuted at the 2015 FA Community Shield in the clash between Arsenal and Chelsea.
The only exceptions to this colored-ribbon tradition occurred in 2020 (Arsenal vs. Liverpool) and 2025 (Crystal Palace vs. Liverpool), where the ribbons on the patch were rendered in neutral white. This adjustment is believed to be the FA's standard protocol to maintain visual balance when both competing clubs share the same primary kit color (red).
Another unique scenario took place in 2021. Even though Manchester City wore their away kit against Leicester City, the patch still featured both clubs' traditional home colors. This was possible because City’s sky blue and Leicester’s royal blue possess distinguishable shades.
Big thanks to @jerseystory_vn for spotting this detail and creating the collage.
Gianluigi Donnarumma Prefers Replica Kits
During the 2026 FA Community Shield, Gianluigi Donnarumma was once again spotted wearing a replica jersey on the pitch rather than an authentic player-issue shirt. Details such as the embroidered crest and the standard dryCELL branding confirmed his kit choice.
This marks the second consecutive season since joining Manchester City that the Italian goalkeeper has opted for the replica version. The reason stems from Puma's player-issue shirts featuring a tighter, more athletic cut, whereas Donnarumma prefers a looser, roomier fit for maximum comfort and freedom of movement.
Big thanks to @jerseystory_vn for spotting this detail and creating the comparison graphic.
Rodri to Wear Number 16 at FC Barcelona
Incoming FC Barcelona signing Rodri is set to wear his trademark number 16 jersey following his big-money switch from Manchester City. The Spanish international midfielder has built an iconic association with the number throughout his career at club level with Manchester City and on the international stage with Spain.
The number 16 shirt had previously belonged to young midfielder Fermín López. Following direct conversations between the players, Fermín has agreed to vacate the number and switch to the number 7 shirt, allowing Rodri to take his favored jersey ahead of the 26-27 season.
