Forced To Change Name Soon? Inter Miami Loses First Round Of Trademark Battle Against Inter Milan
Feb 13, 2020, by Chris
In April 2019, Italian club Internazionale took up up a trademark case with the Inter Miami soccer team. Now after Inter Milan won the first round in the battle, Inter Miami could face a name change after legal battle with Inter Milan.
Club Internacional de Fútbol Miami, known in English as Inter Miami CF or simply Inter Miami, is due to begin play in Major League Soccer (MLS) in 2020, with their debut match taking place in early Major 2020. Inter Miami CF is owned by David Beckham.
Inter Miami you say? 🤔 https://t.co/NcdUfKjPH6
— Inter (@Inter_en) September 5, 2018
Inter Miami Could Be Forced To Change Name
Internazionale have won a key battle in a trademark infringement lawsuit against Major League Soccer, claiming the term ‘Inter’ is synonymous with the Serie A club. The US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) dismissed one of the team’s two arguments, according to a report published Monday.
According to Miami lawyer David Winker from Law.com, the Italian club appears to have overcome the significant legal threshold of “likely confusion”, adding he believes the ruling “will result in Miami having to change its name”.
“The USPTO found that MLS’ claim that there are a number of clubs around the world that use Inter in their name – SC Internacional of Porto Alegre, Brazil, Inter Nashville FC, Inter Atlanta FC, FC Inter Turku (Finland), NK Inter Zapresic (Croatia), Inter Leipzig (Germany) and Inter de Grand-Goave (Haiti) – did not meet its burden to show that MLS has valid proprietary, or ownership, right in the name, Inter,” the report said.
Internazionale submitted a trademark application to the USPTO in 2014 to make ‘Inter’ and exclusive brand in the United States, barring other clubs from marketing themselves with the same shorthand, while Inter Miami CF’s subsequent application in 2018 has been suspended.
MLS’s outlined a two-pronged argument in a notice of opposition filed last year against Internazionale’s application: that ‘Inter’ is a widely used shorthand in soccer and that a trademark on the term will cause a “likelihood of confusion” among the various teams that already use it.
"In effect, it will come down to Inter Milan convincing the USPTO that consumers think of Inter Milan when they hear the term Inter." [Law.com]
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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.
