The Gunners are donning an all-white kit in the FA Cup against Oxford, with the familiar red being temporarily abandoned.
In modern football, the kits players wear on the pitch during matches have evolved into canvasses where meaning can be subtly imbued and messages can be broadcast to the world.
From the colours and the design to the sponsor, jerseys speak to us in one way or another, with a whole industry predicated on producing fresh looks each season, to be worn at home and away.
If you’re tuning in to Arsenal‘s FA Cup match against Oxford United this Monday, you’ll notice that the Gunners are wearing white shirts, white shorts and white socks. The north London side usually wear red and white, while their alternative kits this season are black or pink, so what is the reason for the change?
# Why are Arsenal wearing all-white kits?
Arsenal are wearing all-white kits in their FA Cup third round match against Oxford United in support of the ‘No More Red’ anti-knife crime campaign. It is the second year that the Premier League club have supported the campaign launched in 2022.
The red referred to is, of course, the blood of knife crime victims and the removal of red from the Arsenal kit is a symbolic act.
As well as Arsenal players, the ‘No More Red’ has a variety of high-profile supporters, including boxer Anthony Yarde, while ‘The Wire’ actor Idris Elba has also been to the fore in raising awareness for the campaign.
The Arsenal women’s team will also wear No More Red gear when they play Chelsea on January 15, with players donning white pre-match training kits and anthem jackets
