Liverpool 2026-27 away kit takes its cue from old Anfield tickets
Liverpool’s new away shirt revives a 1980s look with a hidden pattern drawn from Anfield match and season tickets.
By Deshawn Carter · Sports Writer
2 min read
The Liverpool 2026-27 away kit reaches back to the club’s 1980s wardrobe, then slips in a detail made for fans who look closer: a fabric pattern inspired by old Anfield tickets.
ESPN’s Chris Wright reported that the new away jersey is based on the white-and-red strip Liverpool wore away from home from 1985 to 1988, a period tied to major success for the club.
According to ESPN, the earlier version was worn while Liverpool won two league titles and an FA Cup. Those shirts carried Crown Paints and later Candy electrical appliances as sponsors across the front.
What inspired Liverpool's 2026-27 away kit?
The standout design cue, ESPN reported, is a geometric “LFC” pattern worked into the fabric. That graphic takes inspiration from the printing used on Anfield match tickets and season tickets in the 1970s and 1980s.
The detail replaces the shiny tonal striping found on the old shirt. ESPN described the change as a nod to generations of supporters who passed through Anfield’s turnstiles over the decades.
Old football tickets often carried background graphics before the match details were printed on top, according to ESPN. Those designs helped turn ticket stubs into club keepsakes while also making counterfeits harder to produce.
How the new shirt echoes the 1980s
The modern shirt keeps the same broad colour idea as the 1985-88 kit: white with red accents. ESPN described the base as a crisp, icy white, with strawberry-red detailing.
The V-neck collar is another deliberate throwback, giving the shirt the retro shape associated with that era. A heritage-style Liverpool crest, similar to the badge used by the club between 1987 and 1992, appears on the chest beside Adidas’ trefoil logo, ESPN reported.
The original away shirt had a white body with glossy striping woven through the material, including repeated Liver bird logos. It also featured bold red trim on the collar and cuffs, along with the trefoil mark.
Why the hidden ticket pattern matters
From a distance, ESPN noted, the shirt may read as a fairly clean white Liverpool away top. The ticket-inspired pattern is the quiet twist, visible only on closer inspection.
That makes the new kit both a remake and a remix. It borrows the colours, collar feel and heritage branding from a trophy-winning period, while using Anfield’s old paper-ticket culture as the fresh design story.
For kit collectors, the pull is clear: the shirt is not just another retro release. It ties Liverpool’s 1980s on-pitch look to the matchday paper trail fans once carried home in their pockets.
This story draws on original reporting from ESPN.com.