When you think of Arsenal, the colour red is likely to pop into your mind. Only for the last couple of years, the club marks the beginning of each year, and the start of their FA Cup run, by wearing a kit completely void of that colour.
Why? It’s all part of the club’s “No More Red” initiative, which supports their long-standing work in the community to keep young people safe from knife crime, and the all-white strip comes in a marked contrast to their usual kit colours.
This year, the men’s team will make history by wearing the all-white kit at home, where they always wear their traditional red colours, at the Emirates Stadium against Liverpool on January 7 in the third round of the FA Cup. It comes after Arsenal debuted the kit against Nottingham Forest at the City Ground in 2022 before following suit away to Oxford United last January.
Arsenal Women will also wear the No More Red shirt for the first time in their FA Cup fourth round clash against Watford on January 14 at Meadow Park.
The No More Red kit has never been put on sale, but they have awarded the shirts worn to 79 selected “community champions” since the campaign began in 2022, and more people who have made a positive difference to their community will be given a shirt this year.
For the 2024 outing, adidas are also releasing a No More Red t-shirt to coincide with the game. This bespoke shirt has been designed by Nellie-Rose, a young person from Arsenal in the Community who took part in a No More Red social action day, and will be available to purchase.
£30 of the proceeds from each sale will be donated to the No More Red charity partners, which are: The Arsenal Foundation, Abianda (Abi Billinghurst & Associates); Octopus Community Network Limited; Box Up Crime; Stephen Lawrence Day Foundation; Ben Kinsella Trust; Copenhagen Youth Project; and St Giles Trust.
Fans will be able to purchase the bespoke No More Red t-shirt in Arsenal stores from January 29. Catch the Arsenal men’s team donning the kit against Liverpool this weekend (January 7) before the Arsenal Women follow suit when they take on Watford on January 14.
