Sunderland, Hummel, and Elvis Presley: A 2026/27 Away Kit Collaboration No One Saw Coming
Sunderland AFC and kit manufacturer hummel have unveiled the club’s new away shirt for the 2026/27 season in a full-blown collaboration with the Elvis Pres
Sunderland AFC and kit manufacturer hummel have unveiled the club’s new away shirt for the 2026/27 season in a full-blown collaboration with the Elvis Presley Estate. The partnership draws on a decades-old matchday tradition, blending football heritage with pop culture in a bold, unconventional design.
A Surprise Pairing With Deep Roots
On the surface, a football club from the North East of England teaming up with the King of Rock ’n’ Roll might seem random. Yet the connection has been building since the late 1970s, when Elvis Presley’s “Can’t Help Falling in Love” became Sunderland’s unofficial matchday anthem. Played before kick-off at both home and away games, the song is baked into the club’s identity. The collaboration takes that cultural link and runs with it—much like Ajax’s Bob Marley-inspired third kit from the 2021/22 season.
Design Inspired by Elvis’s Early Career
The away shirt features a bold pink and black colourway tied to Elvis’s Louisiana Hayride era. It is loud and unapologetic, far from a standard away kit template.
A subtle embossed pattern, inspired by 1950s design motifs and repeated SAFC detailing, runs throughout the fabric. Inside the neck, the words “Can’t Help Falling in Love With You” appear alongside the club crest and Elvis’s signature. The design is brash and over the top by design—a deliberate departure from minimalist kit trends.
A Kit That Says Something
While not every kit needs to be a minimalist masterclass, this one turns heads. It is bold, different, and carries meaning. The approach is more common outside the Premier League, where clubs often take greater risks with culture. Seeing such a design land in England’s top flight feels refreshing, if slightly bizarre.
Graceland, Pre-Season Tour, and Lifestyle Range
As part of the collaboration, the kit will be available at Graceland in Memphis from early July, coinciding with Sunderland’s pre-season tour of the United States. A full Elvis-inspired lifestyle and training range accompanies the shirt, drawing from the jacket worn on the cover of Blue Hawaii—the film that introduced “Can’t Help Falling in Love” to the world. The range includes anthem jackets, pre-match tees, military-style pieces, Graceland-branded gear, and themed accessories.
No Front-of-Shirt Sponsor at Launch
The away shirt launches without a front-of-shirt sponsor and will remain sponsor-free at retail for the entire 2026/27 season. Fans will have the option to add whichever partner comes next in-store once it is announced. In its purest form, the design puts Sunderland and Elvis front and centre.
A Multi-Year Collaboration
This is not a one-off. The kit marks the beginning of a multi-year collaboration with the Elvis Presley Estate, meaning the unlikely crossover is here to stay. It is a reminder that football would be a lot duller without ideas that are weird, bold, and unapologetically different.
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