Hummel Invites the Community - Hummel 2024 Community Event Recap
Nov 21, 2024, by Pat
- Hummel HQ Tour: Attendees toured Hummel's headquarters in Aarhus, Denmark, seeing showrooms, design spaces, and learning about their "Company Karma" philosophy.
- Hummel's History and Future: The event highlighted Hummel's German origins, its Danish transformation in the 1980s, and its ambitious goal of supplying 10,000 amateur European clubs by 2028.
- Community Engagement: Hummel organized the event to connect with kit and football culture enthusiasts, showcasing future designs and providing unique experiences, such as a dinner with reimagined stadium classics and a visit to the Danish national team's stadium.
Last week we were invited by the legendary Danish brand Hummel, along with other members of the kit and wider football culture community.
On Thursday we flew to Billund, Denmark, the home town of Lego, before traveling on Aarhus, a coastal city in northern Denmark where Hummel's headquarters are located.
Hummel's headquarters are located right on the harbor in Aarhus, with a stunning view of the sea. The lower level houses various showrooms and meeting areas, as well as the large canteen. The upper floors house the offices of Hummel's design and marketing staff. It's an impressive space where you are immediately greeted by a large Bhudda statue, which celebrates Hummel's 'Company Karma' philosophy, but more on that later.
At Hummel HQ, we toured the various showrooms, including one for Halo, the Danish brand that Hummel acquired in 2020 and collaborated with for the Denmark special edition kit. We also explored the huge collection of football jerseys on display, including some unreleased designs. Upstairs, we got a sneak peek at some of the fabric innovations that Hummel is currently working on, which we are unlikely to see on the market before the 2026-27 season.
Later, we listened to talks from various key figures at the brand, who explained the history and future plans of Hummel.
While Hummel is known today as a Danish brand, it was actually founded in Germany in 1923 as "Messmer & Co" and only became Danish in the 1980s when the company changed ownership. During those years, Hummel also famously sponsored the Danish national team and Real Madrid from 1986 to 1994.
As for future plans, one thing was mentioned repeatedly was Hummel’s 2028 goal of supplying 10k amateur clubs across Europe. It’s an ambitious target for Hummel, which currently has 3k such teams under contract, but the brand recently overtook Nike to become the largest teamsports brand in the Spanish market.
And while some of you might know this already, we also learned that kits are always designed many months prior to being launched. The overall process takes between 12 and 15 months and curiously, the design phase is just 2-3 months while the rest is taken up by sorting out materials, production details and so on.
We were also shown some future designs that will hit the market in the coming months and weeks that we will also cover here on Footy Headlines of course.
The day was capped off with a unique dinner at Hummel’s cantina where we were treated to several courses of reimagined stadium classics.
On Friday morning we traveled to Copenhagen for the second day of the event. We visited the Unisport and Halo stores in the city center for a quick tour. We then continued our bus ride to Christiania, which is a self-governing community in Copenhagen that started in 1971 as a squatted military base. It’s home to Christiania Sports Club, which Hummel has been working with for many years.
There we learned more about this special place and its history as well as heard talks from Hummel CEO Lars Stentebjerg, Hummel owner Christian Stadil, and Sunderland CBO David Bruce.
We learned more about Hummel’s more recent history and how it ended up in the place it is today. Stadil, who is a buddhist, is also behind Hummel’s Company Karma philosophy, which has been expressed in a variety of ways over the years and also helps explain Hummel treating the football shirt community to such a cool event.
The highlight of this memorable trip was a visit to Parken Stadium, home of the Danish national team, where we watched the Nations League match between Denmark and Spain. We visited Hummel's own VIP box, where Thomas Gravesen talked about his career and association with the brand, and had some of the best seats in the house for what turned out to be an excellent match.
All in all, it was a very enjoyable experience that was organized with great care and everyone there enjoyed it very much. Hummel has big plans and will be an interesting brand to watch over the coming months and years.
Machida Zelvia 2026-27 Home, Away & Goalkeeper Kits Released
The new Machida Zelvia home, away and goalkeeper shirts for the 2026-27 season have been released. Made by Adidas, the new kits will be worn in the upcoming J1 League campaign, which marks the league's transition to an autumn-spring calendar.
The Adidas Machida Zelvia 2026-27 home shirt features a deep blue base, highlighted by a geometric 'Pulse of Machida' graphic across the front. Gold accents on the collar, the signature Adidas Three Stripes, and the sponsor logos, including main sponsor CyberAgent, complete the design.
The Adidas Machida Zelvia 2026-27 away and goalkeeper kits have also been unveiled, rounding out the club's collection for the new season. The 2026-27 home kit is currently available to purchase for club members.
V-Varen Nagasaki 26-27 Home & Away Kits Released
V-Varen Nagasaki have officially unveiled their new home and away kits for the 2026-27 season. Made by Fanatics, the new shirts will be worn in the upcoming J1 League campaign, marking the Japanese top flight's transition to a new fall-spring calendar.
The Fanatics V-Varen Nagasaki 2026-27 home shirt features a bespoke design in the club's traditional colors. The away shirt offers a clean contrasting look, while the goalkeeper kits round off the collection with their own distinct colorways. All shirts carry the Fanatics logo on the right chest alongside the V-Varen Nagasaki crest on the left.
The Fanatics V-Varen Nagasaki 2026-27 home and away kits are available to purchase via the club's official online store.
Cancún FC 26-27 'Dark Cenote' Special Kit Released
Mexican club Cancún FC has unveiled its new 2026-27 'Dark Cenote' special kit, made by Adidas. This release serves as a dark counterpart to the club's recently announced 'Cenote' third kit and made its on-pitch debut on July 3, 2026.
The Adidas Cancún FC 2026-27 'Dark Cenote' special jersey features a predominantly dark base design. It pays homage to the state of Quintana Roo and the natural network of cenotes that have united the Mexican Caribbean for thousands of years. The dark color scheme offers a contrasting alternative to the lighter standard third shirt while maintaining the same thematic inspiration.
The Adidas Cancún FC 2026-27 'Dark Cenote' special kit is available to purchase through the club's official physical and online stores. It is a limited edition release and will only be available until current stock runs out.
Newport County 26-27 Home Kit Released
The new Newport County 2026-27 home kit was officially released. It is made by VX3 and will be worn in the upcoming League Two campaign.
The VX3 Newport County 2026-27 home shirt features the club's traditional amber base color, paired with black detailing. As a tribute to the club's history and identity, the design incorporates the names of all 25 hall of fame members, which are woven into the amber fabric of the shirt.
Newport Galvanizers will feature as the official sleeve sponsor for the home shirt during the 2026-27 season. The VX3 Newport County 2026-27 home jersey is currently available for pre-order.
Official: Le Havre Announces Hummel Kit Deal - No More Umbro
French club Le Havre AC has officially announced Hummel as its new kit supplier, starting from the 2026-27 season. This confirms previous reports of the club ending its short-lived partnership with Umbro after just one season.
The official announcement emphasizes the fusion of both brands' rich histories and a deep respect for Le Havre's traditional sky blue and navy colors. Hummel takes over following the bankruptcy of Umbro's French distributor, Royer, which caused significant delivery issues during the previous campaign.
Fans have shared their excitement for the new partnership across social media, anticipating stylish designs that honor the club's heritage. The first Hummel Le Havre kits for the 2026-27 season are expected to be unveiled shortly.
Nike Mamba FC Barcelona 26-27 Away Kit Leaked + Shorts
Footy Headlines can now leak the new official pictures of the Mamba Barcelona 26-27 away kit, including shorts.
The Nike Mamba FC Barcelona 2026-27 away jersey features a purple and black gradient base with gold/iridescent logos and applications.
The kit features the famous quote: “Leave the game better than you found it” inside the collar.
Union Berlin 26-27 Away Lifestyle Collection Leaked
An exclusive leak via @Bundesleaker has revealed the first look at the Union Berlin 2026-27 Originals collection. The new item is part of an upcoming retro-inspired lifestyle collection for the Bundesliga club.
The Adidas Union Berlin 2026-27 OG collection features a clean and classic design in predominantly black. It prominently displays the Trefoil logo, fitting the vintage aesthetic of the Originals line. According to the leaker, while the colors are completely accurate, the final club crest used on the longsleeve could still be subject to minor changes.
Fortuna Köln 26-27 Third Kit Released
SC Fortuna Köln and Dutch sportswear brand Robey have officially unveiled the club's new third kit for the 2026-27 season. Designed for the upcoming Regionalliga West campaign, the shirt returns to a classic yellow and black colorway. This traditional look pays homage to the club's founding and their stint in the 3. Liga between 2013 and 2020.
This launch follows the release of a special-edition Robey kit for the 2026 Mittelrheinpokal final earlier in the year. That exclusive jersey featured a tri-color gradient, fading from navy blue to light blue and finishing with a white lower half. It also included metallic gold accents on the manufacturer branding, the central sponsor, and a classic retro crest.
Rochdale 26-27 Home Kit Released
Following the announcement of a multi-year partnership extension with O'Neills, Rochdale AFC have officially unveiled their new 2026-27 home kit. Described by the club as an instant classic, the new strip was launched with a special photoshoot at the historic Rochdale Pioneers Museum and is available to purchase both in-store and online starting July 4.
The O'Neills Rochdale 2026-27 home shirt features a retro-inspired design, combining the club's traditional blue base with a white trim that incorporates distinctive red and black arrows. A classic collar adds to the vintage aesthetic, while long-standing sponsor Crown Oil is prominently displayed on the front. Blue shorts and socks complete the O'Neills Rochdale AFC 2026-27 home kit.
NK Radomlje 2026-27 Home & Away Kits Released
Slovenian PrvaLiga club NK Radomlje have released their new home and away kits for the 2026-27 season. Made by Joma, the new shirts will be worn in the upcoming domestic campaign.
The Joma NK Radomlje 2026-27 home and away jerseys introduce clean designs for the club, keeping in line with their traditional colors. While official club channels have yet to formally announce the kits, images have surfaced online showcasing the new strips. This release aligns with Joma's broader rollout of new kits for various European clubs around the same period.
The new NK Radomlje 2026-27 home and away kits are expected to be available to purchase through the club's official retail channels ahead of the new season.
AFC Wimbledon 26-27 Home & Away Kits Released
AFC Wimbledon and Lotto have officially unveiled the club's new home and away kits for the 2026-27 season. The releases celebrate both the club's traditional identity and its rich local history, with both shirts available to purchase from July 4.
The Lotto AFC Wimbledon 2026-27 home shirt introduces a bespoke look in the traditional colors of blue and yellow. Described as blue quartz, the deep and rich base is trimmed in yellow that runs through the collar and cuffs. A standout feature of the design is the extensive use of the famous Lotto logo, which is woven throughout the fabric in a bold repeat pattern.
For the away kit, Lotto and AFC Wimbledon have opted for a striking red and yellow design that pays tribute to the colors worn on the day of their promotion to the top flight on May 3, 1986. The shirt's jacquard fabric is based on the classic Lotto kit worn between 1997 and 1999, featuring a star motif. Additionally, a yellow star on the back honors the Wimbledon Dons, the legendary local speedway team who won seven British championships and were a fixture of Wimbledon life for 77 years.
