The basics typically stay the same, even though soccer teams could produce a new collection of jerseys each season. For instance, Arsenal’s home jersey is red with white sleeves. The Gunners wore a deeper shade of red currant during their final season at Highbury, but other than that, things often stay within the same range. Arsenal, meanwhile, looked entirely different on January 9. The North London team took the field against Oxford United in all-white gear in the FA Cup. What changed, and why?

Whatever the sport, a team’s primary jersey has a unique quality. What could appear to be a straightforward piece of clothing is more than just a visual marker. Because of the tie to the past, significant changes aren’t done lightly. Arsenal’s uniforms were first made up entirely of solid dark crimson. That gradually changed to a lighter tint reminiscent of the one worn now. Innovative manager Herbert Chapman put white sleeves to the top during the 1933–34 season to improve his players’ ability to see one another on the field. The home jersey has mainly remained the same since then.

However, the Gunners used an all-white uniform when they faced Nottingham Forest in an FA Cup game in 2022. The 2022–23 FA Cup third-round match between Arsenal and Oxford United will take place on January 9 and feature the return of the special edition suit. Even though Arsenal’s two all-white uniform appearances were separated by about a year, they both had the exact underlying cause. The “No More Red” campaign, which aims “to support the long-standing initiatives undertaken by Arsenal in the Public to help keep young folks safe from knife crime and teenage violence,” is the reason behind the change in clothing, according to the club’s official website. The campaign’s goals go beyond utilizing shirts to spread awareness. They include highlighting ways North Londoners may give back and honor community people. Commercial sales of the all-white shirts have never occurred. Instead, volunteers for pertinent organizations are given awards.