Liverpool to wear away kit in Community Shield

Liverpool faces Crystal Palace in the Community Shield at Wembley while unveiling a new Adidas kit and updated match rules.

Liverpool adopts away kit for Community Shield rules clarified

Liverpool will wear their new away kit for the first time when they meet Crystal Palace in the Community Shield at Wembley. The kit features ecru shirts and socks with black shorts, marking the start of a 10-year Adidas partnership that replaces Nike. The club had earlier shown the home kit in friendlies against Athletic Bilbao.

The game will apply new match rules: if the score is level after 90 minutes, penalties will decide the winner and both clubs can make six substitutions from a nine-player bench. Semi-automated offside technology will be used, with in-stadium announcements for any reviewed decisions by referee Chris Kavanagh. Before kick-off, Wembley will host a tribute to Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva, with wreaths laid and a moment of silence.

Adidas taking over the kit deal signals a long-term branding push for Liverpool and a bet on expanding merchandise revenue. Early sales show global demand, with orders flowing from more than 150 countries, underscoring how kit launches can energize a club’s market reach.

The introduction of semi-automated offside calls and live officiating updates reflects football’s ongoing push toward transparency and efficiency. While the tech may reduce debate around close decisions, it also risks upsetting fans who prefer traditional, human-led judgments. The tribute to Jota and Silva adds a human dimension to a matchday moment that can resonate beyond the final score, reminding audiences that sport sits within a wider community of memory and loss.

Highlights

New seasons test brands, memories, and rules, all in one weekend.