Liverpool supporters react to bold new third kit design
Liverpool supporters have never been shy about voicing an opinion when it comes to football shirts and the apparent leak of the club’s new third kit for the 2026/27 season has already ignited fierce debate across social media.
Images circulating online, first reported by Footy Headlines and now spreading rapidly among Liverpool fans, appear to show Adidas preparing a striking black and crimson strip inspired by the movement and colour of flags on the Kop. While the design has not yet been officially confirmed by the club, reaction has arrived swiftly and, in many cases, brutally.
Some fans labelled the shirt “awful” and “disappointing”, while others described it as Adidas’ “weakest effort” since returning as Liverpool’s kit manufacturer. The criticism has centred largely on the abstract pattern across the torso, with many supporters arguing the shirt feels too busy and too detached from the club’s traditional identity.
Yet football shirts are emotional objects as much as commercial products. They carry memories, eras, triumphs and failures. For Liverpool fans, especially, the visual language of the club matters deeply. Simplicity tends to resonate more strongly than experimentation.
New third kit takes Liverpool into unfamiliar territory
The leaked shirt appears to feature a dark black base layered with crimson brushstroke-style graphics intended to represent waving flags inside Anfield. Silver detailing is reportedly used for the Adidas logo, club crest and sponsors, while a plain black collar completes the look.
It is a dramatic departure from the cleaner, retro-inspired designs Liverpool supporters have embraced in recent years. The club’s recently released home shirt, heavily influenced by the iconic Candy-sponsored kits of the late 1980s and early 1990s, has been met with far greater enthusiasm.
That contrast perhaps explains why reaction to the new third kit has felt so severe. Liverpool fans often gravitate towards heritage and continuity. Shirts linked to famous title-winning sides or European nights tend to enjoy instant credibility. This design, by comparison, feels more experimental and modern.
Original reports from Footy Headlines suggested the shirt’s concept was built around recreating the atmosphere generated by supporters inside the Kop. In theory, it is an ambitious idea. In practice, many fans appear unconvinced.
One supporter wrote online that the design was “trying too hard”, while another simply called it “a mess”. Others argued the similarities between the crimson detailing and Liverpool’s traditional home colours made the kit feel unnecessary as a third strip.
Fans continue debate despite absence of official confirmation
There remains an important caveat surrounding the leaked images. Liverpool have not officially unveiled the shirt and there is still uncertainty over whether the circulating pictures are final promotional renders, mock-ups or incomplete concepts.
That uncertainty has done little to slow the discussion.
Football kits now operate as cultural events in their own right. Long before players wear them competitively, shirts are judged, dissected and ranked by supporters online. Liverpool fans are among the most engaged audiences in world football and Adidas will know every release arrives under intense scrutiny.
The debate also reflects the broader tension modern clubs face between innovation and tradition. Kit manufacturers constantly search for fresh concepts that stand out commercially, yet supporters often crave authenticity and timelessness instead.
Liverpool’s home and away shirts reportedly lean heavily into retro styling for next season, which perhaps makes the adventurous direction of the third kit even more striking.
Summer release expected as Liverpool prepare for new campaign
Despite the backlash, the shirt is still likely to prove commercially successful once officially released later this summer. Football supporters often soften towards kits once they become associated with memorable moments on the pitch.
Liverpool are expected to enter the new season amid another period of transition under Arne Slot, with squad evolution continuing after a significant summer. That inevitably places even greater focus on the symbolism surrounding the club’s identity, including the shirts players wear.
Third kits traditionally receive fewer appearances than home or away strips, particularly when colours overlap with Liverpool’s famous red. That may ultimately limit how often supporters see the design in competitive action.
For now, however, the leaked images have already achieved one thing. They have sparked conversation across the Liverpool fanbase and ensured the new third kit has become one of the most discussed football shirt stories of the summer before its official launch has even arrived.
