After receiving more than 15,000 entries from over 100 countries, German Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund had whittled down the entries in its 2023-24 home kit design contest to just nine finalists.
The contest was announced in January, giving fans the chance to possibly see their creativity take the pitch. Since submissions closed on Feb. 6, a panel of current players, former players, club officials and designers from manufacturer Puma have been hard at work sifting through entries.
“There were quite a lot of jerseys that looked really cool.”
— Borussia Dortmund captain Marco Reus (pictured above)
Fans can now log in to the club’s website and vote for their three favourite kits until March 18. It’s unclear when a winner will be announced, but that designer will win a trip with the team to an international match during the 2023-24 season and 10 VIP tickets to the first Bundesliga match in which the new kit is worn.
Some of the finalist designs had to be modified slightly by Puma to ensure that the design “complies with all production and regulatory requirements. The design is bound to some guidelines, if it the jersey is to be worn in the game.”
The majority of the nine final designs use Dortmund’s modern black and yellow colours, while two employ the neon yellow the club used in the 1990s and featured in a throwback jersey introduced at the end of the 2020-21 season.
Here are all nine designs, and the stories behind them in the words of the designers:
TIMO R. (Marl, Germany)
“100% identification: It should be a REAL home shirt. What makes a BVB home game special? The fans, the Yellow Wall and the stadium. 0% changeability: Stripes and patterns are nice, but if you change colours and the logo, leave out the stars… you know what I mean.”
ANDRÉ K. (Appen, Germany)
“For me it was clear that it could only be the classic BVB colours. With the design, which is reminiscent of a coal line, I immortalised the heart of the Ruhr region on the jersey. In keeping with the motto “There is no future without origins”, the dynamic course of the drawing is intended to underline the modern side of the club.”
ERIC K. (Solothurn, Switzerland)
“The city border around the crest breaks through the Dortmund yellow proudly worn by our players and brings out the tradition of the Ruhr area with the coal black underneath. A tradition deeply rooted within the city, its region and the new jersey, which shows where BVB is based. BVB – a club that stands for its diversity and the passion of its people.”
JAIME C. D. (Mexico City, Mexico)
“The design is based on the city map of Dortmund, which appears on the upper part of the jersey. Accompanied by classic diagonal stripes that represent the forward movement, the decision to confront the opponent’s goal and the real will to win, which is so characteristic of this club.”
PATRICK P. (Menden, Germany)
“The jersey design is the statement piece for the players on the pitch. And the fans also want to wear this jersey with pride. The design is therefore timeless and modern. The vertical stripes with different thicknesses look very dynamic and down-to-earth. The indicated logo with reduced opacity in the right corner livens everything up a bit.”
MORITZ R. (Solingen, Germany)
“80,000 fans. 130 decibels. 1 battle cry. 1 jersey. The soundtrack “Auf geht’s Dortmund, kämpfen und siegen!” connects us fans with the team. The energy from the stands, the pumping sounds, the atmosphere in the most beautiful stadium in the world are not only transmitted acoustically to the team but are also visually expressed in this jersey.”
PHILLIP Z. (Dortmund, Germany)
“You never know where you’re going if you don’t know where you come from. The jersey should express the connection to the city. Borussia Dortmund has become a world famous and popular soccer club. But the heart beats here. Everything that defines the club is here in the region. Everything comes together at the birthplace of Borussia Dortmund, the BORSIGPLATZ. With our founding place on the jersey, we would have confidence and no matter whether in the stands or on the pitch: The beating of the chest after the opening goal would have even more meaning.”
PATRICK A. (Dortmund, Germany)
“Anchored in the city and its history: the jersey combines the coat of arms, the colours and a significant part of Dortmund’s history – coal.”
TIM v. W. (Marburg, Germany)
“My jersey design was inspired by our Cup jersey from the 19/20 season as well as the last special jerseys. It was important for me to create a connection to Borussia Dortmund and the city with the colour scheme and the pattern. That is why I chose the legendary neon yellow from the 90s era as well as the print of the Dortmund skyline and city map as a motif on the jersey.”
The contest template only showed the front of the shirt. The club noted in the contest FAQs that “the back of the jersey (including the print) and the rest of the game day outfit (shorts and socks) cannot be designed. They will be completed by PUMA/BVB for regulatory reasons based on the design of the front.”
All photos and graphics courtesy BVB.de
Related stories:
English, German Clubs Roll Out New Kits in Early Stages of 2023-24 Season 
2023-24 European Football Kit Preview: Bundesliga 
Winner of Borussia Dortmund’s 2023-24 Home Kit Contest Announced 
Borussia Dortmund Put ‘Blazing Passion’ On Display with Special Edition Kit 
2022-23 European Football Kit Preview: Bundesliga (Germany) 
Chelsea, Bayern Munich Headline Recent 2022-23 Kit Unveilings from Around Europe 
Juventus, Borussia Dortmund Headline Quartet of 2022-23 Home Kits Released Friday 
Borussia Dortmund Launches Contest for Fans to Design 2023-24 Home Kit