Man United forced to alter third kit for Champions League to satisfy UEFA logo rules

Manchester United will wear a different version of their new third kit in the Champions League this season after UEFA ruled that the shirt’s sponsor branding does not comply with the tournament’s kit regulations.

The club’s new third strip, released last week, features three central logos arranged down the front: the Red Devil crest, a Snapdragon fireball emblem, and the Adidas three-stripe mark. Unlike United’s home and away kits — which carry the full “Snapdragon” wordmark across the chest — the third shirt uses only the brand’s fireball symbol in place of the written name.

UEFA regulations require that the same version of a sponsor’s logo must appear across all of a club’s kits used in the Champions League. Because United’s home and away strips carry the Snapdragon wordmark, the third kit must match them when worn in Europe. The club confirmed that the wordmark will be added to the third shirt for any Champions League fixture in which it is selected, while the fireball-only design will remain in use for domestic competitions.

In a statement, the club explained: “UEFA rules mean that the ‘Snapdragon’ wordmark will be added to our players’ shirts for any Champions League matches it is worn in. This is because the same version of a logo must be used across all of a club’s kits in the tournament, so the sponsor on the third strip needs to match that on our new home and away releases, which feature the wordmark.”

Snapdragon has been United’s principal shirt sponsor since the start of the 2024/25 season. Adidas, who supply the club’s kits, signed a 10-year manufacturing deal with United in 2023 reported to be worth £900 million.

Manager Michael Carrick’s side open their Premier League campaign with an away fixture against newly promoted Hull City on Saturday. United finished pre-season with two defeats — against Wrexham and AC Milan — alongside wins over Rosenborg and Atletico Madrid, and draws with Paris Saint-Germain and Leeds United.

“I think, as a whole, it’s been good,” Carrick said. “I think there are a lot of positives to take from it. The group has grown and got stronger. We’re ready for next week.”