The holiday season just keeps on bringing the good news for Leeds fans, as just days after getting a result against arch-rivals Manchester United and getting their manager sacked, Leeds now have a new kit to look forward to.
The away kit for next season has leaked online, and it is a gorgeous Yellow-colored kit, a popular choice that never fails to impress the Leeds faithful.
Adidas, the kit manufacturer of Leeds United, has blessed fans with a serene yellow kit that features an all-over Yorkshire rose pattern alongside the old Leeds crest with a large Yorkshire rose.
It is a simple design with navy blue stripes from the neck to the shoulders, as well as a navy blue stripe on the sleeve cuff. There is also a classy neck design featuring a band of navy blue and white.
Moreover, it will also mark the debut of the classic Adidas Trefoil logo, as it’ll be the first time that logo has appeared on a Leeds United kit since Adidas became their kit manufacturer in 2020.
The 2026-27 away kit is expected to be launched sometime around late July or early August 2026. Judging by the way the last yellow-colored kit sold, next year’s kit is tipped to be a massive success.
Leeds United’s recent yellow-colored kit was the historic 2024-25 kit, which smashed all sorts of records, with more than 15,000 shirts being sold on the first day of sales alone.
It was inspired by the iconic 1974 kit and displayed the smile badge. The jersey had a classic design with a distinctive blue-tipped button-up collar as well as the signature Adidas three stripes in split blue and white across the shoulders.
Speaking at the success of the 2024-25 kit, Aaron Duckmanton, Leeds’ head of digital, marketing, and retail, stated –
“Both the colour yellow and the smiley crest are iconic parts of the club’s history and we hope fans will enjoy wearing this modern interpretation with pride throughout this season.”
Yellow-colored jerseys have a cult following in the Leeds fanbase due to a plethora of reasons. Not only do they look good, but they also hold historic significance to the West Yorkshire club.
A big chunk of the glory years of Leeds United were had in all white or yellow jerseys. Several league wins, cup victories, and big nights on the European stage took place in the yellow jerseys.
With that said, here are some of the most iconic yellow away kits in the history of Leeds United –
1946/47
The first time Leeds United wore a yellow away kit was in the 1946/47 season. It was a stylish half-and-half design, one-half featuring blue and the other half in plain yellow. The same pattern was repeated at the back and the shoulders, with one half being in blue while the other in yellow. To make things stylish, the shirt had a beautiful yellow collar and the Leeds United badge stitched onto the left side of the jersey.
1973/74
The 1973-74 season marked the first iconic Leeds United yellow away kit. Admiral took over and created a fashionable, bright yellow kit with blue accents and the distinctive smiley face crest.
Not just the color of the kit, but the Smiley badge also has an interesting history.
50 years ago, Leeds United weren’t just Premier League giants, they were also marketing trailblazers, and yellow kits were a part of their identity.
The then manager, Don Revie, had built a highly successful side, but they also had a reputation for aggressive and physical gameplay. Their controversial playing style led to the club getting the “Dirty Leeds” label from the media and opposition fans.
To move away from the stigma and appeal to a broader fanbase, Revie, who was also a marketing trailblazer, signed a historic deal with sportswear brand Admiral to produce vibrant yellow-colored replica kits that fans could buy.
As a part of the rebrand, Leeds introduced the distinctive and abstract smiley badge, which featured the letters “L” and “U” in a funky design, giving the impression of a smile.
The new badge also brought along success as Leeds became the champions of England under Revie in 1973-74 while going all the way to the European Cup finals the following year.
1974/75
Building on the yellow kit used in the previous season, the 1974/75 jersey had a fashionable design to it. The blue stripe that used to run down from the neck onto the shoulders and to the sleeve was replaced with two strips of blue and white, giving it a very stylish look.
1988/89
The next iconic yellow away kit arrived in the 1988/89 season. Widely popular for being one of the earliest modern yellow kits, this was a plain yellow with blue Burton sponsors. Manufactured by Umbro, this one featured the Yorkshire rose crest and predated the more popular 1989-92 kit.
1989/92
Speaking of 1989-92, the Leeds Top Man kit may just be the most memorable yellow away kit Leeds have ever released.
This one was an absolute gem as this stylish and elegant shirt combined the rich yellow with an Umbro blue collar and button-up neck. There were two levels of shadow pattern as the design, alongside a triangular motif with a wavy line design.
Moreover, this one also featured the iconic Top Man sponsor for the first two seasons. This kit saw Leeds clinching he old Division 2 title before repeating a similar feat a couple of seasons later and winning the Division 1 title this time around.
1999/00
While not an away kit, Leeds United released a yellow third kit for the 1999/00 season. The all-yellow shirt featured a prominent blue horizontal band across the chest. It was sponsored by Packard Bell and manufactured by Puma in another memorable campaign.
During the 1999/00 season, Leeds made their memorable run to the semifinals of the UEFA Cup while also placing third in the Premier League.
2000/01
The 2000/01 season saw Leeds release yet another gorgeous yellow away kit. Not only was the kit beautiful, but it was also extremely memorable as this kit was worn on many exciting away nights as Leeds made a run all the way to the semifinals of the UEFA Champions League.
Nike, who were the club’s kit manufacturers at the time, chose a very stylish design with blue accents, blue horizontal embossing, and the iconic Strongbow sponsor.
2024/25
The latest yellow away shirt to be released, the 2024/25 yellow jersey featured a bright yellow base with blue trim and the retro 70s smiley badge. It came with the button-up collar as well as the three stripes in blue and white on the shoulders.
Manufactured by Adidas, this kit was a massive success as it smashed the club sales records on the first day itself.
To add the cherry on top of the cake, this kit was worn as Leeds topped the Championship with 100 points and secured promotion to the Premier League.
With the leaks hinting at a Leeds yellow away kit next season, fans are expecting another classy kit and for the kit to recapture some of the form that made Leeds one of the biggest English clubs back in the 70s.
What do you make of the Leeds yellow away kits? Do you have a favorite design? Let us know in the comments section.
