UEFA Champions League
The third iteration of Macron UEFA kits (which debut in the previous season’s Champions League final) feature very minimal alterations from the previous set. The brightness of the red kit is turned up a few notches, but the rest of the colourways are otherwise identical.
Macron introduces a simplified set of kits, which now feature a zip collar. The ubiquitous Respect logo is replaced by the UEFA Foundation for Children mark on the left sleeve, while red replaces pink in the colour rotation.
In a somewhat controversial move, referees are told to stop wearing their FIFA badges when the Champions League returns from its pandemic-enforced pause. UEFA develops its own “Match Official” badge in what is largely thought to be a political move against the world governing body.
UEFA signs a kit supplier contract with Macron, whose new designs—seemingly inspired by the CMYK colour mode—are seen for the first time in the 2019 Champions and Europa League Finals.
The standard Adidas 18 kits are brought in, with referees in the Champions League and Europa League now wearing the same outfits.
Adidas’ new designs are mercifully much more palatable, and referees have four colour options available again.
UEFA realizes—and to their credit, quickly corrects—their mistake, reinstating the black shorts from the previous season before each team has even played a second match. They don’t match the rest of the kit, but are a marked improvement nonetheless.
In one of arguably the most ill-fated decisions UEFA has made, a set of kits in charcoal, mustard yellow, and azure blue is introduced with light grey shorts for the 2014-15 season. The kit in its entirety would only last two weeks into the season, as the shorts, in addition to being aesthetically hideous, serve to camouflage referees with players rather than distinguish them.
A design not dissimilar to that of the 2010 World Cup kits is used in 2013-14, with coloured socks worn for the first time.
A bold sash design is found on the front of the new kits, which also feature a redesigned Respect badge on the left sleeve.
Starting with the 2010-11 final, referees are outfitted in fresh kits in green, black, and violet.
Navy, red, and white are initially introduced as the new Champions League referee colours – however, soon realizing that a very large number of teams feature one or more of these colours on their kits, the yellow World Cup kit is brought out as an alternative option as well.
Champions League referees receive their own bespoke kits for the first time, with Adidas’ initial offerings featuring an interesting red trim on the shirt and shorts. Oddly, the right chest pocket is on a slight angle to line up with the red design, while the last of the peculiarities sees a generic white logo appear on the socks instead of a colour-matched red mark.
The Respect logo makes its debut on the left sleeve for the start of the 08-09 season, replacing the yellow Fair Play patch.
Starting with the knockout stages of the 07-08 season, referees switch to the newly-released Adidas 2008 kits.
Four colour options are available again as the Adidas 2006 line is introduced.
A light grey-blue design replaces red, while the three-stripe design disappears from the socks.
Adidas’ new kits have little in the way of bells and whistles. There is a slightly modified Fair Play patch on the left sleeve.
A fresh style and set of colours is introduced for the turn of the millennium, with forest green and dark grey options seen alongside a yellow set.
Pinstriped kits are available in four colours for UCL officials starting in 1998. Of the four, only the green was not seen at the previous summer’s World Cup.