Arsenal and Adidas are gearing up for the third year of their impactful ‘No More Red’ campaign, a staunch stand against knife crime. This time around, the men’s team will make a powerful statement by donning the signature whiteout kit at home for the first time, during the clash with Liverpool on January 7.
The initiative, launched in collaboration with Adidas in January 2022, was aimed at supporting Arsenal’s ongoing efforts to combat youth violence and knife crime. The FA Cup match against Nottingham Forest marked the inaugural appearance of the kit, with the team playing in a striking whiteout look, devoid of the club’s traditional red colour. The concept was repeated a year later in the game against Oxford United, and this year, the kit will make its home debut.
In addition to the men’s team, Arsenal Women will also sport the all-white kit for the first time in the FA Cup fourth-round match against Watford at Meadow Park on January 14. The expansion of the ‘No More Red’ campaign underscores the club’s commitment to addressing the pressing issue of knife crime.
The urgency of this cause is emphasized by recent data from the Office of National Statistics, revealing a 21 percent increase in knife-enabled crimes in London between June 2022 and June 2023, totalling 13,503 incidents. This underscores the ongoing necessity for support in the fight against knife crime.
To commemorate the third year of the campaign, Adidas and Arsenal are introducing a ‘No More Red’ t-shirt. Designed by Nellie-Rose, a participant from Arsenal in the Community’s 2023 No More Red Social Action Projects, this community t-shirt will be available for purchase at Arsenal stores from January 29, priced at £30. Importantly, 100 percent of the retail price of each t-shirt will be donated equally to No More Red Charity Partners, including: The Arsenal Foundation, Abianda, Octopus Community Network Limited, Box Up Crime, Stephen Lawrence Day Foundation, Ben Kinsella Trust, Copenhagen Youth Project, and St Giles Trust.
Freddie Hudson, Head of Arsenal in the Community, said: “No More Red provides a unique opportunity to highlight almost four decades of our local community work that has helped to keep thousands of young people safe. Throughout the first two years of No More Red, we’ve worked in our local area with adidas, our local authority and our charity partners to build on our support for young people by providing more high quality safe spaces to play sport, access to trusted role models and to shine a light on the positive work being done across our community.
“Young people face multiple challenges as they grow up in today’s world and we don’t have all the answers, but we are confident that by acting together and shining a light on the support network available across our community, we can make a significant contribution to the lives of our participants.”
