West Ham United 2026-27 kits feature crest mismatches

West Ham United’s 2026-27 kits, manufactured by New Balance, have drawn attention due to a visual mismatch between crests when home and away uniform components are combined.

The inconsistency arises from differing design philosophies for the two sets. The home kit utilizes the club’s traditional full-colour shield crest on both the jersey and the shorts. Conversely, the away kit employs a minimalist, retro-style “Crossed Hammers” motif on both the shirt and the shorts.

This creates a discrepancy during “mix-and-match” scenarios. For example, pairing the home shirt with the claret away shorts results in the full shield appearing on the chest while the minimalist Hammers icon appears on the thigh. The issue is reversed when the away shirt is paired with the white home shorts.