Middlesbrough introduce gold 150th anniversary crest for 2026–27 season

The commemorative badge is based on the club’s newly redesigned circular crest, but replaces the standard red-and-white colour treatment with a single gold finish. Beneath the roundel, a curved “150 Years” inscription is framed by decorative flourishes inspired by the wrought-iron gates of Ayresome Park, Middlesbrough’s former home.

The anniversary crest will be used during the 2026–27 campaign only, including on Middlesbrough’s kits, before the club continues with the permanent version of its new identity in the traditional red-and-white colours.

A special version of Middlesbrough’s new crest

The anniversary badge arrives as part of a wider identity change first announced by Middlesbrough in October 2025. From the beginning of the 2026–27 season, the club is returning to a circular crest, replacing the shield-shaped badge used since 2007.

The new roundel is closely connected to the crest worn from 1986 to 2007, a design associated with the club’s recovery after its financial crisis in 1986. Middlesbrough said the return to the circular format followed an extensive process centred on supporter feedback.

Within the new badge, the club name appears in full around the outer ring, with “18” and “76” placed either side of the central lion rampant. The slab-serif lettering references the industrial character of the region, while the lion itself contains subtle local details: the outline of Roseberry Topping is incorporated into its mane, and the shape of the River Tees as it reaches the Riverside Stadium is represented in its tongue.

Gold treatment for 150 years of Middlesbrough FC

For the anniversary edition, those design elements remain unchanged, but the crest is presented entirely in gold. The colour gives the badge a more ceremonial character while clearly separating it from the permanent red-and-white crest that will define Middlesbrough’s identity beyond the anniversary season.

The additional “150 Years” element is the main structural difference. Positioned below the circular badge rather than inside it, the inscription expands the crest into a commemorative emblem designed specifically for the club’s milestone year. Its Ayresome Park-inspired details connect the anniversary identity not only to Middlesbrough’s founding in 1876, but also to the stadium the club called home from 1903 until the move to the Riverside in 1995.

The badge will feature on Middlesbrough’s 2026–27 kits

Middlesbrough have confirmed that the special anniversary crest will appear during the 2026–27 season, including on the club’s kits. The gold badge will therefore become one of the most visible parts of Boro’s 150th-year identity once the new shirts are revealed.

For the club, the anniversary crest brings together two changes at once: a temporary gold version created for a landmark season, and the launch of a permanent new badge built around one of the most recognisable designs in Middlesbrough’s history.