No More Soulless Crest Updates? New FA Rules Protect Club Crests and Home Colours
Good news for fans of English teams as the FA have introduced new rules stating that clubs must consult with fans and have the approval of the majority before making any changes to the club crest or home shirt colours. This should help put a stop to the over-simplification and excessive modernisation of club crests, at least in England.
New FA Rules Protect Club Heritage
Over the past number of years, we have seen a growing trend of clubs updating their crest, opting for a minimalistic approach which results in a huge loss of character in a lot of cases. Changing the club's colours or removing certain elements from the badge is akin to partially erasing the club's history, distancing them from their roots and origins in favour of appealing to the international masses.
Cardiff City had worn blue since 1908. In 2013, owner Vincent Tan changed the team's home kit to red. The change was intended to help the club gain popularity in Asia. Red was also his favourite colour. After two and a half years of red shirts and dwindling numbers of fans coming to games, he switched the colours back to blue.
The most unpopular crest updates such as those of Juventus, Inter and Nantes resulted in the crest looking like a corporate logo rather than the crest of a football club that was formed over one hundred years ago. While it's probably fair to say that the majority of these drastically modernised changes have happened in leagues outside of England, there have been controversial cases in the Premier League and EFL too.
West Ham's current logo dropped the castle which had been present for over 50 years and was representative of a number of aspects of the club's history and place in the community. The word "London" was added instead, trying to attract a global fanbase rather than catering to their existing fans.
Leeds United redesigned their crest completely in 2018, coming up with a modified Mr Clean logo after six months of research and "consulting 10,000 people". It says a lot that the didn't use the word "fans" in their own launch. The backlash was swift and 77,000 supporters signed a petition to abandon the new badge, forcing the club do a u-turn and stick with the existing crest.
The FA's new rules apply to clubs in Premier League, EFL, National League [national division], Women’s Super League and Women’s Championship. The website of the FA states that:
Under the new rules, if a club wishes to make a material change to its club crest, or change its recognised home shirt colours, it must undertake a thorough and extensive consultation process with supporters.
If a majority of the fans object to such a change, it cannot go ahead. If a club is unable to provide proof that a proposed change was approved by the fans, the FA has the power to make the club revert to the previous crest or home shirt colours.
In the event a club is found to be in breach of the rules, The FA is able to take appropriate action, such as ordering a club to revert back to a previous crest or home shirt colour combination.
The relevant leagues and Football Supporters Association will be a part of the consultation process, with the overall aim being to put fans at the heart of the decision making process when it comes to club heritage. The relocation of clubs' home grounds could also soon have to abide by new laws as the FA continue their own fan consultation process on the matter.
Some people may argue that clubs need to update their crests to move with the times, and that is a valid point. There have been examples of successful, well-thought out changes that supporters can get behind, but there have also been far too many cases where the clubs have gotten it wrong.
The fans who have supported the club for years and have been with them a lot longer than new owners or partnering creative agencies should always have a say in these kinds of changes, as they have a very different association with the club than the men in the boardroom do. Ditching their heritage in order to create a new identity and attract new fans is sadly what many clubs have done, but these new rules should help to prevent it from happening again in the future.
What do you think of the FA's new rules on protecting club heritage? Would you like to see other leagues and organisations follow suit? Comment below.
BG Pathum United 26-27 20th Anniversary Kit Released
Thai League side BG Pathum United have officially released a special 20th anniversary kit for the 26-27 season. Produced by Nike and launched under the club's "Side by Side" campaign, the commemorative shirt celebrates two decades since the team was originally founded in 2006 as Bangkok Glass FC, reviving the historic green color from the club's early years.
The Nike BGPU 26-27 20th anniversary shirt combines a vibrant green base with contrasting black accents on the crew neck collar and sleeve cuffs, flanked by white side panels. It features clean monochrome white applications throughout, including the club crest, the Nike Swoosh, and the front sponsor. Two variations of the jersey are available: the domestic Thai League version featuring Leo branding on the chest, and an AFC Champions League Two version with Singha Corporation and a Thai flag detail on the sleeve.
White shorts and white socks complete the throwback look. The BG Pathum United 26-27 20th anniversary kit is now on sale through the club's official online shop and at the BGPU Mega Store, priced at 999 THB for the standalone jersey. The club has also made a limited "Side by Side" collector's boxset available for 2,000 THB, containing two shirts, two commemorative scarves, and a sticker sheet.
Special Rayados 'Legado 86' Commemorative Kit Released
Mexican side CF Monterrey and Puma have officially unveiled a special commemorative jersey, titled the Jersey Legado 86. Celebrating the 40th anniversary of Monterrey's first-ever Liga MX league championship won in the Mexico 1986 tournament, the commemorative shirt made its on-pitch debut during their 26-27 Liga MX match against Cruz Azul.
The shirt's defining characteristic is the substitution of the modern club crest with the classic 1986 retro emblem, which showcases the historic mountain silhouette, vintage football, and classic club lettering. Puma positioned their red cat logo and the retro crest to replicate the arrangement seen on the original 1986 jersey, while modern club partners such as BBVA and Codere are incorporated across the traditional navy and white stripes.
Several bespoke detailing elements complete the design, including a star graphic with the number 86 printed inside the collar and the current Rayados crest positioned on the nape of the neck. Released in a limited run of 1,986 pieces, the collector's item pays homage to one of the most celebrated moments in the club's history.
FC Kaiserslautern 26-27 Special Kit Released
Bundesliga 2 side 1. FC Kaiserslautern have officially unveiled their special 2026-27 'Herz der Pfalz' (Heart of the Palatinate) kit. Made by Castore, the shirt debuted against Eintracht Braunschweig and celebrates the region's wine culture and late-summer wine festivals.
The special shirt features a light beige base with a darker stylized grapevine pattern, while Bordeaux-red details appear on the collar, cuffs and monochrome Castore and FCK logos. The 'Herz der Pfalz' wording is placed on the upper back, with additional lettering inside the collar.
What do you think of the new 1. FC Kaiserslautern 2026-27 special kit? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Various Argentine Clubs To Switch Kit Supplier
Following latest reports from Argentine kit expert Marca de Gol, various Argentine clubs are expected to change kit supplier for the upcoming 2027 season.
Notably, four top flight sides could already be on their way to partner with local brand Atomik: Vélez Sársfield, Atlético Talleres, Gimnasia La Plata and Atlético Tucumán. On the other hand, Italian brand Givova are seemingly losing two teams - Gimnasia as mentioned above and Atlético Unión to Fiume Sports.
Which of these supplier change do you look forward the most? Let us know in the comments.