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Championship side Southampton will be wearing an unusual kit when they take on Arsenal in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup
Flynn Downes playing for Southampton in the 2025/26 FA Cup
Southampton have been wearing yellow and blue during their FA Cup campaign(Image: Rob Newell - CameraSport via Getty Images)
Here is everything you need to know about why Southampton are not wearing their usual kit for their FA Cup match against Arsenal
Celebrating an anniversary: The primary reason for the change is to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Southampton’s historic FA Cup victory in 1976. This remains the only time the Saints have lifted the prestigious trophy, though they have finished as runners-up on three occasions.
An iconic throwback: Instead of their usual red home colours, Southampton will wear a modern reinterpretation of the yellow and blue away kit worn during that 1976 final. The colour scheme will forever be associated with their 1-0 win over Manchester United at Wembley, where Bobby Stokes scored the Saints' winner.
A special tribute to club legends: The fabric of the commemorative shirt features a subtle graphic incorporating the signatures of the 15 players from Southampton's 1976 cup-winning squad. It also includes the signature of the legendary manager Lawrie McMenemy, ensuring the heroes of the past are literally woven into the present.
No kit clash concerns: By opting for this tribute kit, Southampton avoids any potential kit clash issues while playing at home at St Mary's. Southampton's usual red-and-white home kit would clash with Arsenal's red shirts and this meant Arsenal wore their black change strip when the teams met at St Mary's in the Premier League last season.
Limited edition exclusivity: The kit was designed by Puma specifically for this FA Cup campaign to blend 70s nostalgia with modern performance technology. To emphasise the importance of the occasion, the club only produced 1,976 individually numbered shirts for public sale to correspond with the year of their triumph.
Supporting the former players: A portion of the proceeds from the sale of these special anniversary shirts is being split among the surviving members of the 1976 squad. This ensures that the event isn't just a marketing exercise, but a tangible way for the club to support the icons who delivered a moment supporters will never forget.
A season-long celebration: This match serves as the centrepiece for a series of events planned throughout 2026 to honour the anniversary of the club's greatest achievement. Fans have been encouraged to wear their own retro yellow and blue gear to turn the stadium into a sea of nostalgia for the cup tie
The FA Cup context: Southampton are one of just two teams left in the 2025/26 FA Cup from outside the Premier League. No second-tier team has reached the final since Cardiff City lost the 2008 final against Portsmouth.
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