Arsenal will be donning their away kit in this weekend’s highly anticipated north London derby against Tottenham Hotspur, a decision driven by a rare kit clash ruling.
This will mark the first time in 38 years that the Gunners have been required to wear their alternate strip when visiting Spurs.
The Premier League and the Professional Game Match Officials Limited have determined that Arsenal’s 2024-25 home kit, which prominently features white accents, clashes too much with Tottenham’s iconic white shirts, despite discussions around alternative options for Arsenal’s shorts and socks.
In a statement released by the club, Arsenal explained, “The PGMOL and Premier League ruled that our 2024-25 home kit features too much white, thus clashing with Tottenham’s traditional colours, even with the option of red shorts and socks for us, which was also discussed. As a result, for the first time in recent ‘NLD’ history, we’ll be wearing our change colours.”
The Gunners’ away kit, a predominantly black design with green, red, and grey trim, will stand in stark contrast to Tottenham’s traditional white and navy home ensemble.
Spurs will line up in their standard white shirts with navy accents, paired with navy shorts and white socks.
This derby serves as the beginning of a tough stretch for Arsenal after the international break.
Following their trip across north London to face Spurs, Mikel Arteta’s side will travel to Italy for their UEFA Champions League opener against Atalanta on Thursday night.
Once back in domestic action, the Gunners face a pivotal clash against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium, where they will continue their battle for Premier League supremacy.
Tottenham, meanwhile, will switch focus to cup competitions after the derby, as they travel to face Coventry City in the Carabao Cup third round. They will then return to the Premier League for a home game against Brentford.
The decision to enforce the kit change has added a unique layer to this already heated rivalry, making this North London Derby even more of an intriguing spectacle.
