Football

Why UEFA Have Banned Bayern Munich’s Home Kit in the Champions League

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James Lloyd
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James Lloyd Sports Editor

James is a sports writer specialising in football news, betting, and statistics. He also writes about various other sports such as darts and tennis, and is an avid fan of both UFC and WWE. His work has been featured on multiple online sports platforms, including Sports Lens and Breaking The Lines. James holds a Master's degree in Sport & Exercise Physiology and currently works as a Video Scout for 360 Scouting.

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Published12 Feb 2025

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Michael Olise – Bayern Munich Champions League Home Kit Ban

Why has Bayern Munich’s home kit been banned in the Champions League? Here’s everything you need to know.

Why Are Bayern Munich Banned from Wearing Their Home Shirt in the Champions League?

The UEFA Champions League knockout playoffs are underway, and one of the high-profile ties is Celtic vs Bayern Munich on Wednesday night.

However, some eagle-eyed fans may have noticed something unusual this season — Bayern Munich have not worn their iconic red home kit in any of their European fixtures.

Instead, the likes of Harry Kane, Michael Olise, and Jamal Musiala have donned either their black away strip or beige third kit throughout the competition.

UEFA’s Reason for Banning Bayern Munich’s Home Kit

According to German publication BILD, UEFA took issue with Bayern’s 2024/25 home kit due to the visibility of the numbering and lettering on the back of the shirts.

The governing body deemed that the dark numbers and letters on Bayern’s red home shirt did not provide enough contrast, making it difficult for spectators and officials to distinguish player details clearly.

This violation of UEFA’s visibility regulations led to the kit being banned for the Champions League campaign.

Will Bayern Munich Modify Their Home Kit?

Bayern have reportedly acknowledged the issue and are expected to modify their kit by changing the black numbers and lettering to white, ensuring compliance with UEFA’s regulations.

However, these changes will not be implemented in time for Wednesday’s Champions League clash against Celtic.

As a result, Bayern will wear their away kit at Celtic Park, even though their traditional red shirts would not have clashed with Celtic’s green and white hoops.

When Will Bayern Be Able to Wear Their Home Kit Again?

It remains uncertain whether Bayern will be permitted to wear their revised home kit in the second leg at the Allianz Arena next week.

If the changes are completed in time, fans may finally see Vincent Kompany’s team don their iconic red shirts in the Champions League once again.

Bayern Munich’s Champions League Campaign So Far

Despite being among the tournament favourites, Bayern’s route to the last-16 has not been straightforward.

Having finished 12th in the standings and losing three of their eight games, they missed out on automatic qualification and are now facing Celtic in the playoffs.

Currently, Bayern sit comfortably atop the Bundesliga table, eight points clear of their nearest rivals. Should they beat Celtic over the two legs, they will face either German champions Bayer Leverkusen or Spanish powerhouse Atletico Madrid in the last-16.