Why Crystal Palace is Wearing White in Their Home Game Against Manchester City
When Premier League fans watched Crystal Palace play Manchester City on Friday (August 28), they probably expected the Eagles to be in their usual blue and red. But instead, the home team showed up in white – and there’s a good reason for that.
Crystal Palace, like Barcelona, is famous for their blue and red striped home shirts. Just last week, when Palace played Everton at Hill Dickinson Stadium, they wore white because Everton’s blue kit would have clashed with Palace’s traditional colors. Fans didn’t mind then, but many noticed something strange on Friday.
Even though Manchester City wore their black away kit, Palace still wore white with a blue and red sash. This surprised some fans:
One said, “Maybe it was explained before the game, but why is Palace wearing white at home?”
Another asked, “Is Palace wearing their away kit at home? That can’t be their home shirt.”
Someone else wrote, “What’s going on with Palace’s kit? It looks like an away shirt, but maybe it’s their home kit? It’s so different from usual!”
Others were confused too, wondering why Palace’s home colors had switched to white.
So, why the change? Well, this season, Palace chose a white home shirt as a tribute to the one they wore 50 years ago, when the team made it to the FA Cup semi-finals in 1976. The white shirt with a red and blue sash was also worn in the early 1980s. The last time Palace wore a white home kit was back in the 2008/09 season.
In a statement about the new kit, Palace said: “This kit brings back a classic design—the iconic sash. First worn in 1976, the sash returns 50 years later with a fresh, modern look that’s a South London favorite.
“The sash became famous during the Eagles’ 1976 FA Cup run and was their official home kit in 1976/77. It’s since become a cherished part of Palace’s history.
“The badge has a retro style too, inspired by the club’s circular crest from 1973 to 1987.
“The sash is a symbol of Palace’s identity, strength, and tradition through the years. These are the same values shared by Temporal, whose technology helps businesses thrive through challenges. Together, Palace and Temporal celebrate what lasts for the long run.”
The club also shared that some legends from the 1970s teams who wore the original sash design, like Vince Hilaire, Dave Swindlehurst, and Billy Gilbert, got to see the new kit first—alongside more recent stars Darren Ambrose and Mark Bright.
The updated look includes white shorts with red and blue stripes on the sides and mostly white socks with red and blue hoops to finish the outfit.