5 Clubs Who Should Update Their Crest
- Crest Updates are Common: Many football clubs have recently changed their crests, sometimes unnecessarily.
- Some Crests Need Modernizing: Certain clubs have outdated crests that could benefit from a redesign.
- Five Clubs Identified for Updates: The article highlights Southampton, SV Zulte Waregem, Sassuolo, Club Puebla, and Wigan Athletic as clubs needing crest updates due to various design flaws.
Dozens of clubs have made changes to their crests over the last few years, sometimes unnecessarily. Here are few whose image could actually do with a little modernising.
5 Clubs Who Could Do With Crest Update
A new or updated club badge is sure to cause a stir among football fans. Sometimes the reaction can be positive with fans in agreement that the new look is an improvement on the old one. However, we've seen plenty of redesigned badges that go for the ultra modern, corporate logo style, generally to the disappointment of fans, who'd prefer to keep their existing badge.
A lot of clubs with a perfectly representative badge have cast it aside in favour of current trends, but on the other end of the scale are the clubs whose crest is overdue an update. Check out our pick of five clubs who definitely have some room for improvement in the visual identity department.
Southampton
Southampton's badge has undergone minimal updates over the years, with the basic form first introduced in 1974 and most recently tweaked in 2011. The problem is, the graphic representations of all the elements are quite childish and outdated. The tree, scarf, football and halo symbols all look like clip art. The banner, tucked in underneath the shield and partially obscured, and the black space between the top of the shield and the scarf add to the amateurish aesthetic. Keep the elements, but surely there's a more stylish way to put them all together.
SV Zulte Waregem
Looking like a diagram from a chemistry textbook, Belgian side Zulte Waregem's crest has been in use since 2005, when they abandoned their striped shield for something less typical. Having a unique badge can be a source of pride for a club, but this one unfortunately just doesn't look like the badge of a football club, never mind a good one. The brushstroke effect is the opposite of timeless.
Sassuolo
Sassuolo is a town of just 40,000 people but their football team managed to establish themselves as a fixture of Serie A since 2013. Prior to that, they had spent their entire history in the lower divisions. They were in Serie B in 2010 when they updated their crest, going for a shape similar to Barcelona's, but the end product again looks a little bit small time. The off centre spike at the bottom, the grey border and the football and aqueduct graphics need reworking, and an alternative font wouldn't go amiss either. They've got a great colour combo to work with so fine tuning the other aspects shouldn't be too difficult.
Club Puebla
Yet another amateur look from Mexico's Club Puebla. Look a bit closer and you'll see that a continuous, unbroken line forms the crest shape and the sash, starting at the top left and ending at the bottom right. A nice feature that is somewhat ruined by the contradictory outer border. Strangely, this border was only added in 2018, with previous versions faring much better without it. The team name across the centre and the football in motion at the top, along with the overall graphic style are not very befitting of a club playing in the top flight of their domestic league. A few minor adjustments could do the trick here, no need to reinvent the wheel.
Wigan Athletic
More clip art graphics here from Wigan. The shading on the tree and crown mark this one out pretty clearly as a 2000s design (this crest dates from 2008) and is a feature that has very much faded out of fashion. In contrast, the roundel shape has turned out to be a choice popular among many clubs who have redesigned their badge. Once again, nothing drastic is required here, but this one could be polished up for a much classier effect.
Are their any other clubs who you think should give some thought to a badge redesign? Comment below.
Aston Villa 26-27 Third Kit On Sale Early in Adidas Store
Aston Villa's 26-27 third kit has gone on sale early at an official Adidas store in Tenerife ahead of its official launch.
Photos shared by supporter @squirrelvilla confirmed that the complete strip was available to buy in Playa De Las Americas, giving fans an early look at the new shirt and matching shorts in hand.
The Adidas Aston Villa 26-27 third shirt features a light icy blue base covered in an elaborate, repeating swirl pattern across the front and sleeves. Claret detailing highlights the crew neck collar, sleeve cuffs, and signature Three Stripes, while both the centered Adidas logo and Aston Villa crest sit prominently on the chest. The version bought in store was sold without a main front sponsor.
FC Penafiel 26-27 Home Kit Released
Portuguese Liga 2 club FC Penafiel has officially launched its new home kit for the 26-27 season, produced by Nike. The release heralds a new kit deal for the club, leaning into a classic aesthetic that honors their traditional Rubro-Negro identity.
The Nike FC Penafiel 26-27 home jersey is predominantly red, styled with a contrasting black polo collar and open v-neck cut. Adding to the retro design, the club badge is set within a dark circular crest frame on the left chest, accompanied by a black Nike Swoosh and white Abanca sponsorship branding across the chest.
The FC Penafiel 26-27 home shirt is available now through the club's official webshop, priced at €59.99.
Nigeria Women Update Crest With 10 Stars
At the 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), defending champions Nigeria featured a special detail on their shirts: 10 stars added above their crest. The "Super Falcons" had never worn stars on their kits in previous WAFCONs.
The 10 stars represent Nigeria's 10 continental titles, celebrating their history as the most dominant team in African women's football. Big thanks to our Vietnamese partner @jerseystory_vn for the collage image.
