Newcastle United official statement confirms biggest PIF change to date - supporters will be divided

Newcastle United will be updating its club crest for the 2026-27 season, with plans and fan consultation processes now officially under way.

While the existing badge, in place since 1988, will remain for the upcoming season, an official statement released by the club on Friday confirmed the planned change.

While a stadium decision is still officially pending, the crest change will be viewed as the most significant switch since the 2021 takeover led by the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund. An independent fan survey is now open that will run until 5pm on Friday, May 16.

Newcastle United statement confirms crest change

The Newcastle statement read: “As our club grows on the global stage, the symbol that represents us needs to be able to keep pace. It needs to show up clearly and confidently across everything – from kits to screens to merchandise.

“So, we’ve been asking ourselves: how well does our current crest represent the club today? And how well will it serve us tomorrow?

“It’s time to update our crest. This isn’t a decision we take lightly. We love our crest. It’s iconic and has stood us through unforgettable triumphs and testing times.

“But it was created in a different era. Its intricate design doesn’t always translate well in today’s digital world. And it’s difficult to reproduce it clearly and consistently.

“As football and the world changes, so too must the symbol that unites us. That’s why we’re coming to you.

“This isn’t about walking away from our past. It’s about carrying it forward with pride. The crest is part of our story. It’s on our shirts and inked in our skin. It deserves thoughtful evolution – shaped by the voices of the people who love it.

“Tell us what matters most. Based on what we’ve heard, updates to the current club crest should be minimal and therefore ‘Refine & Revive’ is our recommended approach.

“We’ve spoken to our Fan Advisory Board, now we want to hear from you. What should stay the same? What needs to be updated? And how can we embrace our history – not just by honouring it, but by preserving its spirit and building on it, so we can thrive in the years ahead?

“We’re inviting Season Ticket holders and Members to share their views in an independently ran survey.

“A link to that survey will be emailed directly to those fans. The cut off is 5pm on Friday 16th May!

“We will be holding a fan consultation workshop for Season Ticket Holders and Members on Wednesday 14th May, both in person at St. James’ Park and online, to provide more detail on why we’re undergoing this process and offer you an opportunity to share your thoughts.

“A link will be supplied to register your interest to this event in the same email.

“The Fan Advisory Board have recommended that the wider fan base should be given a choice of options to select from during the second stage consultation. This second stage will be delivered via a separate survey, dates to follow.”

Refine and revive - Newcastle United’s approach

Newcastle’s named approach to the club crest change is ‘refine and revive’. An example of a refined club crest can be seen in Inter Milan’s simplification of its previous crest to a more streamlined design.

A revive example can be seen in Manchester City’s crest change in 2016, which was a throwback to previous designs.

Is the current NUFC crest fit for purpose?

This is the message Newcastle’s brand team want to get out there with the current crest, inspired by the city’s coat of arms, labelled as ‘complex’ and unable to stand up to the sleek designs of rival clubs.

While the club are clear in wanting the fans at the heart of the decision-making process, it’s something that will divide the opinions of supporters as it is clear a decision has already been made that the crest will change in some way, shape or form.

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