Lion of Venezia 25-26 4th Kit Banned by Italian Football Federation
Dec 4, 2025, by Chris
- Kit Design Controversy: Venezia's 2025-26 fourth kit, featuring a large winged-lion graphic, was modified for competitive matches due to concerns from the Italian Football Federation (FIGC).
- Violation of Decorative Element Rules: The FIGC likely rejected the original design because the lion graphic was considered a 'face' or an oversized club symbol, violating regulations on decorative elements in uniforms.
- Final Approved Design: The match-approved version of the shirt removed the winged lion graphic completely while retaining other graphic elements, such as the stars design.
Venezia’s spectacular 2025–26 4th shirt made waves the moment it was unveiled - but the version worn in competitive matches looked noticeably different. The large winged-lion graphic was completely removed for the match, resulting in a solid red base where the lion had been.
Footy Headlines can outline the two most likely reasons behind FIGC's rejection of the original design.
1. The Lion Graphic Was Treated as a “Face” Under Decorative-Element Rules
Italy's Regolamento Divise da Gioco (Uniform Regulations) features strict limitations on decorative elements. One of the clearest restrictions: graphics must not contain or give the impression of representing a face or identity of a person.
While the rule explicitly mentions “una persona”, the FIGC possibly interprets the “face-like” imagery more broadly. The lion artwork used by Venezia - highly detailed, large, and forward-facing - can be read as a portrait-style facial depiction, even though it is an animal.
Because the new decorative-element rules require graphics to be tone-on-tone, subtle, and non-recognizable, the high-contrast lion likely crossed that line.
2. The Winged Lion Was Classified as a Club Symbol - and Therefore Too Large
The winged lion (Leone di San Marco) is Venezia’s historic emblem and appears prominently in club iconography. Under FIGC regulations, club symbols may only be used once on the front of the shirt and must fit within a maximum area of 100 cm² - the size allowed for a crest.
The launch shirt’s massive winged-lion graphic extended across both shoulders and the entire upper chest. If the league classified this artwork as a club symbol, rather than a neutral decorative element, it would exceed the allowed size many times over.
Final Match-Approved Version
The adjusted match shirt keeps the design but eliminates the winged lion completely. All other graphic elements were allowed, including the star design.
Would you have preferred the original lion version to be worn in official matches? Let us know in the comments below.
Melbourne City 26-27 Home, Away & Third Kits Released
Puma and A-League club Melbourne City FC have officially unveiled their complete kit collection for the 26-27 campaign. Launched under the campaign tagline 'Made of City', the three-kit drop blends the club's signature identity with Melbourne street culture and club heritage.
The Melbourne City 26-27 home shirt stays true to tradition, centered around the iconic City Blue base. Drawing inspiration directly from the club badge, red and yellow trim accents decorate the collar and sleeve cuffs. Meanwhile, the away kit leans into nocturnal Melbourne fashion, pairing a deep plum jersey with an abstract zig-zag graphic and vibrant shimmer pink branding across all sponsor prints and the club crest.
Rounding out the lineup is the 26-27 third kit, which pays homage to the club's origins as Melbourne Heart. The shirt combines a crisp off-white base with red accents and incorporates a subtle heartbeat graphic emerging across the chest from behind the crest. A heart motif inside the collar completes the tribute. The new collection is available through Melbourne City's online store and Puma Australia.
AC Mestre 26-27 Third Kit Released
Italian Serie D club AC Mestre has officially unveiled its new third kit for the 26-27 campaign, manufactured once again by Japanese sportswear brand Mizuno. The new drop follows the earlier presentations of the club's home and away shirts, completing their kit lineup for the new season.
The Mizuno AC Mestre 26-27 third shirt introduces a sleek and stealthy design, dominated by a black base accented by vibrant orange details. Bright orange trim lines the V-neck collar and broad sleeve cuffs, while both the Mizuno Runbird logo and the AC Mestre crest are rendered in matching monochrome orange. A subtle jacquard pattern is also incorporated across the front fabric, adding depth to the understated look.
Black shorts and socks with orange detailing complete the full AC Mestre 26-27 third uniform.
Video: FC Barcelona 27-28 Home Kit
Based on leaked images, Footy Headlines can bring you a 360º video of Barcelona’s 2027-28 home kit, created using Kit Creator.
Adidas to Launch Arsenal 26-27 Spezial Collection
Adidas is expanding its terrace-rooted Spezial F.C. label to the Emirates, with a newly surfaced teaser confirming an upcoming Arsenal SPZL F.C. collection. Thanks to @IamCrisJ.
The teaser reveals the collaborative Arsenal SPZL F.C. insignia, presenting the club's heritage cannon emblem and "AFC" cannonballs in red set above a red-bordered box housing the Trefoil and "adidas SPEZIAL F.C." branding in gold. Following the blueprint established by previous SPZL F.C. club projects, the range will lean heavily into retro football culture, archival tailoring, and casual terrace style.
The upcoming Arsenal SPZL F.C. range will include bespoke footwear and lifestyle apparel, slated for release through ArsenalDirect, adidas, and select Spezial retailers.
Adidas Colo-Colo EQT Collection Leaked
Adidas is expanding its 1990s-inspired EQT lifestyle range to South America, with official images of the upcoming Colo-Colo EQT collection leaking online. Following recent retro drops for European giants such as Bayern Munich and Juventus, the Chilean club is set to receive its own heritage capsule steeped in unmistakable nineties football culture. Big thanks to @KamilBerberler.
The centerpiece of the range is a retro shirt dominated by Colo-Colo's traditional white, accented by subtle tonal shadow stripes running vertically down the body. It features oversized three stripes sweeping over the shoulders in bold black and red, paired with a chunky ribbed V-neck collar. Staying true to the era, the classic Adidas wordmark and Trefoil are placed centrally on the chest just above the iconic club crest.
Complementing the jersey, the wider lifestyle capsule includes a color-blocked track jacket, matching track pants, a graphic t-shirt, and a relaxed crewneck sweatshirt. The entire collection maintains the club's sharp black, white, and red palette, combining vintage paneling with modern streetwear silhouettes. The Adidas Colo-Colo EQT collection is slated for release in the coming weeks.
Kit Blunder: Matheus Cunha Wears Inverted Sleeve Badges in Manchester Derby
Manchester United striker Matheus Cunha was spotted sporting an unusual kit detail during Sunday's Manchester derby against Manchester City. Eagle-eyed kit enthusiasts quickly pointed out that the Brazilian forward took to the pitch with his sleeve badges completely reversed on his 26-27 home shirt.
Under standard Premier League kit regulations, the official competition badge and "No Room For Racism" patch must be applied to the player's right sleeve, while the left sleeve is reserved for the club's commercial sleeve partner. On Cunha's long-sleeve jersey, however, the configuration was flipped: the sponsor logo was applied to his right arm, leaving the Premier League badge positioned on his left sleeve.
Side-by-side images comparing Cunha's jersey to teammate Marcus Rashford clearly showed the contrast between the standard layout and Cunha's swapped sleeves. Whether caused by a mix-up in the kit room or an accidental printing error during match preparations, the subtle mistake provided a unique talking point for shirt collectors.
River Plate 26-27 Away Pre-Match Kit Leaked
Official images of the River Plate 26-27 away pre-match kit have surfaced, revealing a clean retro-inspired look produced by Adidas. Following the release of the club's tricolor away strip in August, this warm-up top expands River Plate's heritage-driven collection for the 26-27 season. Big thanks to @KamilBerberler.
The Adidas River Plate 26-27 away pre-match jersey features a crisp white body paired with bold red raglan sleeves and a matching white collar. Emphasizing the classic aesthetic, the shirt showcases the iconic Adidas Trefoil logo in red on the right chest, opposite a vintage circular CARP crest in red on the left. Across the upper back, large red block lettering spells out "RIVER" to complete the minimalist, old-school design. The shirt is paired with white shorts sporting black Three Stripes on the sides.
The new River Plate 26-27 away pre-match jersey is scheduled to be worn by the squad during warm-ups for away fixtures and will be available to purchase in the coming weeks.