Celtic Wear Makeshift Crest Without Anniversary Details in Champions League
- Celtic's Modified Champions League Crest: Celtic wore a noticeably simplified version of their 2026-27 home kit crest during a UEFA Champions League play-off match against LASK, differing from the elaborate 60th-anniversary tribute on their retail and domestic shirts.
- Simplification of the Emblem: The makeshift badge worn in Europe removed the outer commemorative wreath and the "60º ANIVERSÁRIO" text, leaving only the standard circular crest with "The Celtic Football Club 1888" and a single gold star.
- UEFA Regulations and Rationale: This modification was surprising because UEFA Equipment Regulations generally permit special commemorative emblems for jubilees under certain size and approval conditions, suggesting Celtic may have faced an administrative delay or opted for caution.
During their UEFA Champions League play-off clash against Austrian side LASK, Celtic took to the pitch wearing a noticeably modified version of their 2026-27 home kit crest. While the retail version and domestic match shirts proudly feature an elaborate 60th-anniversary tribute to the 1966-67 Lisbon Lions—complete with the Portuguese inscription "60º ANIVERSÁRIO" and decorative laurel elements—the shirt worn in Europe was stripped down to a simplified design.
Celtic 26-27 Makeshift Champions League Crest
On the European stage, Celtic's kit featured a makeshift badge that removed the outer commemorative wreath and anniversary text entirely, leaving only the standard circular crest with "The Celtic Football Club 1888" and the single gold star above it.
Subject to the approval of the UEFA administration, a team celebrating or commemorating a jubilee or other significant event may create a special team emblem for use on its playing attire in place of its usual emblem. Such special team emblems may be surrounded by letters, numbers and/or decorative elements (e.g. laurels) but the total surface used may not exceed 100cm².
What makes this modification surprising is that UEFA Equipment Regulations do not strictly prohibit commemorative crests. Under Article 14.04 of the official UEFA regulations, clubs celebrating a significant jubilee or historic milestone are permitted to wear a special commemorative emblem with surrounding text and decorative laurels, provided the total area does not exceed 100 cm² and prior written approval is granted.
It is not known whether Celtic ran into an administrative delay with their submission or simply chose a cautious approach.