Confusing Uniform Colors Allowed in Be'er Sheva vs. Vikingur Champions League Match
On July 29, 2026, Hapoel Be'er Sheva faced Icelandic club Vikingur in the second qualifying round second leg of the UEFA Champions League. Be'er Sheva wore their home kit consisting of red shirts and white shorts, while Vikingur appeared in white shirts and burgundy shorts. The similarity in colors caused confusion among viewers, as both teams' kits overlapped in color tones.
According to UEFA regulations, there must be a clear distinction between the teams' kits to avoid confusion. The home team selects their kit first, followed by the away team, with the referee having the final say. If the referee deems the kits too similar, the home team must change for practical reasons. However, the rules do not explicitly forbid one team wearing shorts similar in color to the other team's shirts, or vice versa.
In this case, the referee, Bosnian Anthony Bendic, approved the kits despite the confusion. This decision highlights a loophole in the regulations allowing such overlapping colors, as the rules focus mainly on shirt colors and overall kit differentiation but do not address shorts color conflicts specifically. The match proceeded with the confusing uniforms, raising questions about UEFA's kit regulations enforcement.
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