Arsenal will mark the fourth year of their No More Red campaign with the men’s and women’s teams wearing their all-white kit for their respective FA Cup third-round ties against Manchester United and Bristol City on Sunday, January 12.
With the men’s match taking place at the Emirates Stadium, visitors Manchester United will wear their blue away kit.
This will be the fourth time Arsenal’s men’s side have worn the all-white shirts. They have won once in all-white before (a 3-0 win at Oxford United in the FA Cup in 2023) but lost against Nottingham Forest and Liverpool in the third round in 2022 and 2024. The women’s team wore the shirt for the first time in a 5-1 FA Cup win over Watford last season.
Premier League teams can only play in three kits during the league campaign, hence Arsenal wearing the all-white kit in the FA Cup.
The No More Red anti-knife campaign began in the 2021-22 season with the backing of actor Idris Elba and Arsenal legend Ian Wright. As well as highlighting issues around knife crime, the joint initiative with Arsenal’s kit manufacturers Adidas also tries to help keep young people safe from youth violence in North London.
Since the beginning of 2021, 77 teenagers have been killed in London according to the Metropolitan Police and this year’s campaign takes place in the week 14-year-old Kelyan Bokassa was stabbed to death on a bus in Woolwich, south-east London.
Declan Rice, who is from Kingston upon Thames in south-west London, said: “There’s an immense pride you feel when you pull on the No More Red shirt.
“Having such a special connection with our supporters in our community gives us a real understanding of the people we’re representing and the role we can have as players in raising awareness around issues such as youth crime and violence. Their stories give us inspiration, which fuels our performances. Our community drives us forward and we win together.”
Rice, Myles Lewis-Skelly and Alessia Russo have been involved in No More Red short films with three community leaders inspiring change in North London.
“Knife crime and serious youth violence are incredibly complex,” said Freddie Hudson, head of Arsenal in the Community. “We don’t have the solution to fix the problem, but we know our work with Adidas is helping keep young people safe and creating opportunities for more positive futures.
“It’s important we continue to invest in safe spaces where we engage young people facing multiple challenges as they navigate their way through their lives. This is where trust is built and positive relationships develop with our staff.
“Being part of something positive like No More Red creates an important sense of belonging. The safe spaces and trusted relationships lead to connections and opportunities like volunteering, education and employment. Over time, we see young leaders emerge from our projects to inspire and influence other young people to make good life choices.”
Arsenal huddle during their FA Cup match against Liverpool in January 2024 (Jacques Feeney/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)
Since the January 2022 launch, the campaign has been building on work done by Arsenal in the Community and is focused on three key pillars. First comes investing in safe spaces to play football, then providing ongoing opportunities for connection and, thirdly, championing community role models.
Three pitches at Harvist Estate, Mayville Estate and King Square in Islington have been refurbished in that time. A fourth pitch — on Peckwater Estate in Camden — is due for refurbishment and will open in 2025.
In 2024, 235 young people participated in No More Red activities at the Arsenal Hub at the Emirates Stadium. Those activities included working with Islington Council’s Parent Empowerment Champions to host a child safety and football event at the Arsenal Hub. In December, they also collaborated with No More Red charity partner Abianda, London’s Violence Reduction Unit, and Advance for an event at the Arsenal Hub to coincide with 16 Days of Activism against violence against girls and women.
A joint session with No More Red charity partner Steel Warriors also introduced young people to calisthenics and exploring the link between football, fitness, and healthy lifestyles to empower them in managing their physical well-being.
The all-white shirts are never available to buy but are instead awarded to individuals who are making a positive difference in the community. Since the launch in 2022, 210 No More Red shirts have been awarded to such individuals.
(Top photos: Arsenal /adidas/Abdi Asalow)
