The German Bundesliga Has a Serious Font Color Issue
The German Bundesliga (officially operated by the DFL) has recently faced criticism for its kit font color choices, particularly regarding player names and numbers on jerseys. Thanks to football font experts Sportsfonts for the heads-up.
German DFL Does Not Care About the Visibility of Names & Numbers on Kits
The controversy was heightened during yesterday's 2. Bundesliga match between Hannover 96 and Kaiserslautern, where Kaiserslautern donned its new 24-25 third kit. The problem? Player names and numbers were nearly invisible, as they were white on a light blue background. The situation worsened under the sunlight, making it appear as if no numbers were present at all.
This isn't an isolated incident. Kaiserslautern's kit is just one example of how the DFL has struggled to ensure adequate contrast between player numbers and jersey colors. Other clubs have faced similar issues:
Bayern Munich
Bayern Munich's 24-25 home kit features dark maroon numbers on red, making them hard to read, especially for commentators and fans in the stadium.
Bremen
Werder Bremen's away kit presents another challenge, with pale green on off-white numbers that are equally difficult to discern.
Hoffenheim
Hoffenheim's 24-25 third kit uses green numbers on a light green background, which is not optimal but rather good in terms of visibility compared to the others.
In comparison, the Premier League has more standardized guidelines featuring large numbers with a visible border available in only a few colors, though this limits design options. Meanwhile, UEFA's regulations are stricter, with Article 54 of the official Equipment Regulations stating that player numbers must maintain a contrast level (Delta L value) of 30 or higher to ensure visibility.
The Bundesliga's inconsistent font contrasts are becoming a practical issue, and many are calling for the DFL to implement clearer guidelines to avoid such problems.
Should the DFL take stricter measures like UEFA? Let us know in the comments below.
