The German Bundesliga Has a Serious Font Color Issue
Sep 15, 2024, by Chris
- Bundesliga Font Issues: The German Bundesliga is facing criticism for poor font color choices on player kits, making names and numbers difficult to see.
- Specific Examples: Several teams, including Kaiserslautern, Bayern Munich, and Werder Bremen, have kits with insufficient contrast between numbers/names and jersey colors.
- Contrast Regulations: Unlike the Premier League and UEFA, the Bundesliga lacks strict contrast guidelines, which has lead to this problem.
The German Bundesliga (officially operated by the DFL) has recently faced criticism for its kit font color choices, particularly regarding player names and numbers on jerseys. Thanks to football font experts Sportsfonts for the heads-up.
German DFL Does Not Care About the Visibility of Names & Numbers on Kits
The controversy was heightened during yesterday's 2. Bundesliga match between Hannover 96 and Kaiserslautern, where Kaiserslautern donned its new 24-25 third kit. The problem? Player names and numbers were nearly invisible, as they were white on a light blue background. The situation worsened under the sunlight, making it appear as if no numbers were present at all.
This isn't an isolated incident. Kaiserslautern's kit is just one example of how the DFL has struggled to ensure adequate contrast between player numbers and jersey colors. Other clubs have faced similar issues:
Bayern Munich
Bayern Munich's 24-25 home kit features dark maroon numbers on red, making them hard to read, especially for commentators and fans in the stadium.
Bremen
Werder Bremen's away kit presents another challenge, with pale green on off-white numbers that are equally difficult to discern.
Hoffenheim
Hoffenheim's 24-25 third kit uses green numbers on a light green background, which is not optimal but rather good in terms of visibility compared to the others.
In comparison, the Premier League has more standardized guidelines featuring large numbers with a visible border available in only a few colors, though this limits design options. Meanwhile, UEFA's regulations are stricter, with Article 54 of the official Equipment Regulations stating that player numbers must maintain a contrast level (Delta L value) of 30 or higher to ensure visibility.
The Bundesliga's inconsistent font contrasts are becoming a practical issue, and many are calling for the DFL to implement clearer guidelines to avoid such problems.
Should the DFL take stricter measures like UEFA? Let us know in the comments below.
Madrid CFF 26-27 Away Kit Released
Spanish Liga F club Madrid CFF has debuted its new Nike away kit for the 26-27 season. Featuring a stealthy black base with a subtle textured chevron pattern, the jersey is highlighted by a central vertical stripe comprised of fluorescent pink bars, inside of which the club name "MADRID CFF" is inscribed in neon volt lettering. The vibrant color scheme is complemented by a volt Nike Swoosh on the right chest, a recolored pink and volt crest, and matching pink sponsor prints across the front, paired with contrasting white shorts and socks.
