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Why Southampton are wearing yellow against Man City after being allowed to break FA rule

Reach Daily Express | April 25, 2026 11:39 PM CST

Why Southampton aren't wearing red and white kit against Man City

Commemorative yellow kit: Southampton will not don their traditional red and white striped shirt for Saturday's FA Cup semi-final showdown with Manchester City, instead choosing a special yellow kit with blue trim. The design draws inspiration from the strip worn during the 1976 FA Cup final, which remains the only occasion the club has lifted a major trophy.

Historical significance: Yellow serves as a direct homage to the side that defeated Manchester United 1-0 at the old Wembley five decades ago. That landmark triumph was sealed by an 83rd-minute strike from Bobby Stokes. The club is keen to harness that same underdog spirit ahead of their forthcoming fixture.

Breaking rules: Under official FA regulations, clubs competing in the semi-final stage and beyond are obliged to wear kits registered at the start of the season. As this anniversary strip was not included in that initial registration, the club technically had to bypass standard protocol in order to use it.

Special permission: Despite the stringent rules surrounding kit registration, the FA has awarded the Saints special dispensation to wear the commemorative colours at Wembley. The club expressed their delight at the ruling, saying: "The club is pleased to have been granted permission to wear the commemorative '76-inspired yellow kit that has been a permanent fixture of this season's FA Cup run for the victories."

Tournament-long presence: The yellow strip has featured consistently throughout Southampton's entire FA Cup campaign this season rather than serving as a one-off gimmick. It has already been deployed during triumphs against Doncaster, Leicester City, Fulham and most recently in the quarter-final against Arsenal.

Kick-off time: Saints supporters will be able to watch their side take to the pitch in their fortunate yellow kit when the semi-final gets underway at 5.15pm.

Positive signs: Beyond the kit clearance, the club has been assigned the west end of the stadium for their fans. This is the identical end the Southampton faithful occupied during the 2024 Championship play-off final triumph over Leeds, contributing to the sense of favourable superstition surrounding the occasion.

Current form: Saints boss Tonda Eckert has guided his team to a 20-match unbeaten streak going into the match. While supporters are delighted with the nostalgia of the 1976 kit, the manager remains concentrated on tactical discipline and execution to ensure the side advances to the final on May 16.

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