2026 feels like the year of full-circle moments for Arsenal. Aside from challenging for the Premier League, they have also reached the Champions League final for the first time since 2006.
This year also marks 20 since the club moved from Highbury to the Emirates Stadium, which was at the forefront of Adidas’ collective mind with Arsenal’s new home kit design.
While it has become traditional for clubs to debut their new kits at the end of seasons, Arsenal will complete this term in their 2025-26 home kit. As was the case at the end of the 2023-24 season, when Arsenal wore that season’s kit in a final-day title-decider against Everton, it feels right to see out a campaign that can end with silverware in the shirts that got you there.
At first glance, you could be forgiven for asking where ’20 years of Emirates Stadium’ inspiration shines through in the new offering. The body of the shirt is fairly similar to that of this season’s, albeit without the Gothic A design synonymous with Arsenal in the 90s across it.
The Arsenal crest also remains all-white, which marks four seasons since the red, blue and gold crest has been used on a home shirt. Some supporters may take issue with that, but I like the clean look that comes with the all-white version — my only question is how durable the authentic version (which is not stitched in) will be after multiple washes.
The first nod to the Emirates comes around the neck. Adidas themselves reference a “bespoke crewneck collar inspired by the sweeping rooflines”, which do feel present, but a different aspect of the shirt stands out more as somebody whose first Arsenal match was at the Emirates in 2007.
The early Emirates era came when clubs still produced shirts that would typically be used for two seasons, and the Adidas stripes of the new kit remind me of one of my favourites from this period: the home shirt used from 2008 until 2010. That was not a typical Arsenal shirt, with different shades of red running down the sleeves and sides to accentuate a white middle, but that made it stand out.
The chunky three stripes (two darker shades of red either side of the lightest stripe) feels like a nod to that shirt even if it has not been explicitly mentioned.
As somebody with an interest in long-sleeved shirts, the occasions when Arsenal players donned them gave a more complete feeling to the look these shirts could provide. Apologies if that comes across like a hipster take, but those aesthetics of Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri passing and moving around defenders in that kit won’t be leaving my mind any time soon.
Samir Nasri and Cesc Fabregas celebrate a goal in November 2009 (Adrian Dennis/AFP via Getty Images)
Unlike with Manchester United, most of the photos released of Arsenal’s new kit have players wearing short sleeves. Gabriel is shown wearing long sleeves from a distance, and those are cuffed with red lightning patterns that can be seen across the neckline. Those cuffs are more of a trim than the ones that appeared on last season’s long-sleeved shirts, though.
That trim has also been applied along the bottom of next season’s shorts, while Arsenal will go into the 2026-27 campaign with predominantly red socks again. The home goalkeeper kit that David Raya will wear is grey with black Arsenal and Adidas crests and stripes.
In terms of prices, there is no let up. Adult shirts are £85 for replicas, £12o for authentic cuts (closer to what players wear in games), and £130 for the authentic long sleeve version. Children’s shirts are £60 for replicas, £65 for long sleeves and £80 for an authentic shirt. Adult goalkeeper kits are £85 and the junior version is £65.
Of course, there is also the matter of a change in sleeve sponsor. Arsenal’s controversial partner Visit Rwanda, their first-ever sleeve sponsors — a relationship that started in 2018 — are no longer on the kit.
Arsenal, alongside other clubs sponsored by Visit Rwanda, faced pressure from fan groups to replace them as their sleeve sponsors last season. Ahead of the Champions League semi-final first leg between Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain, who are also sponsored by Visit Rwanda, a protest to drop the sponsorship was held outside the stadium while white armbands were being offered to cover said sponsorships on Arsenal shirts.
Deel, an all-in-one payroll and HR platform, were announced as Arsenal’s HR partner in December 2025. Shortly afterwards The Athletic reported that Deel would become the club’s new sleeve sponsor. Arsenal confirmed that earlier this week.
When it comes to shirt additions, the women’s team will still have their golden FIFA Women’s Champions Cup badge in the centre of their shirt. The badge was debuted midway through this season, and as with Chelsea’s men’s team, it will be on their kits for the next four years until the next FIFA Women’s Champions Cup takes place.
Arsenal’s men cannot earn that badge on this kit, as the next men’s Club World Cup does not take place until 2029. They do have their best shot at earning a golden Premier League badge for next season and/or adding a one to their Champions League badge, though, which would take this kit to another level.
As Arsenal shirts go, this is not a blockbuster, but nor is it a bust. Some may need time to adjust to the thicker Adidas stripes and the lining of the neck, but for others, it may invoke memories of a time when they were first getting into the club. If there is the option to add some gold or an extra number to the sleeve, however, I’m sure we’ll be seeing plenty of these out and about in the summer sun.
