When it comes to kits that blur the line between football and culture, few do it like 1. FC Köln. Once again, the club and long-time partner hummel have leaned into the city’s most colourful tradition, unveiling the 2025/26 Karneval Kit — a jersey that’s more than just fabric and thread.
Under this year’s motto, “Alaaf – Mer dun et för Kölle” (“Alaaf – We do it for Cologne”), Köln’s latest Karneval look celebrates the people behind the party. It’s a love letter to Cologne, to the volunteers who make the city’s famous festivities happen, and to the unshakable community spirit that defines both Karneval and the club itself. The design pulls direct inspiration from the classic Fastelovend costume, with bold red and white hoops wrapping the shirt in unmistakable local pride. For the first time, it’s dropping exclusively as a long-sleeved jersey — a nod to tradition and the nostalgic energy of Karneval’s roots.
Built entirely from 100% recycled polyester, the shirt’s sustainability matches its sentiment. Look closer and you’ll spot tonal all-over graphics woven into the fabric: subtle outlines of the city’s coat of arms, the cathedral, and the crown, each one a symbol of Köln’s soul. Front and centre sits the gold-crowned city badge, taking pride of place on the chest, while the neckline quietly nods to club heritage with the inscription “1. FC KÖLN – 1948 – 1. FC KÖLN.” On the back of the neck, this year’s official Karneval motto seals the connection between club and carnival.
“The Karneval kit connects our passion for FC, the city and volunteering in Karneval in the classic red and white hooped design,” said FC Managing Director Philipp Liesenfeld. “Representing the numerous Karneval revellers who bring Fastelovend to life through their commitment throughout the year, we made the volunteers from the Kölsche Harlequins dance group, the Fidelen Kölschen music corps, the inclusive choir Jecke Öhrcher and the Veedelverein Kölsche Sonnenkinder vun 1972 an integral part of our team at the kit launch.”
That community-first spirit sits at the heart of the design — a sentiment echoed by hummel’s Marketing Director, Morten Lund: “The Fastelovend jersey is a celebration of community, tradition, and identity — values that both hummel and 1. FC Köln share deeply. With this design, we wanted to capture the unmistakable spirit of Köln’s Karneval and pay tribute to the volunteers who keep that spirit alive year after year.”
Only 11,111 pieces of the 2025/26 Karneval Kit will be released — a fittingly symbolic number for a club and city where “Jeck” runs deep. Fans won’t have to wait long to see it in full flight either: the men’s team will wear it on Sunday, 2 November 2025, against Hamburger SV at RheinEnergieSTADION, with the women’s side debuting their version a week later on 9 November against TSG Hoffenheim at Franz-Kremer-Stadion.
In a football world obsessed with innovation and next drops, Köln and hummel continue to remind us what authenticity looks like — a kit that’s stitched not just with design flair, but with the heartbeat of a city.
The FC Köln 25/26 Karneval kit is available now at fc-fanshop.de
