Spezia 120th Anniversary Jersey: Back to 1906

Before Spezia became associated with black and white, there was pale blue.

That forgotten part of the club’s identity is the starting point for one of the most interesting heritage jerseys of 2026: the Spezia 120th Anniversary jersey, created by Kappa to mark 120 years since the club’s foundation on 10 October 1906.

Instead of simply adding an anniversary badge to the current home shirt, Spezia went much further. The club returned to its earliest visual history, combining white with a delicate sugar-paper blue, introducing an old SFC monogram, removing commercial sponsors and adding a lace-up collar that looks more like something from the early twentieth century than a modern match jersey.

Only 700 individually numbered shirts were produced, turning the release into something more deliberate than a standard anniversary kit. This is not nostalgia copied directly from an archive. It is history reconstructed for the modern pitch.

Spezia 120th Anniversary Jersey: A Design Built From the Club’s Origins

Spezia and Kappa officially unveiled the celebratory shirt on 6 October 2026, ahead of the club’s anniversary match against Gubbio four days later.

The design is based around two colours: white, which has become central to Spezia’s modern identity, and a soft pale blue described by the club as azzurro carta da zucchero — sugar-paper blue.

That blue references the shirts worn by Spezia before the club permanently adopted white and black in 1911. According to the club’s own historical account, founder Herman Hurni had brought an early set of shirts from England after having played with Crystal Palace’s reserve side.

Historical accounts cited by Spezia note that Crystal Palace wore white and blue before 1905, adding another layer to the connection between the Italian club’s origins and early English soccer culture.

Why the Quartered Design Matters

The colour choice is only half of the story.

Spezia describes the shirt as a four-quarter design inspired by soccer jerseys from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The front is divided vertically between pale blue and white, while the sleeve colours reverse the body panels.

From a distance, the effect is extremely clean. Up close, the small historical references begin to appear.

• Sugar-paper blue and white → reconnect the club with the colours associated with its earliest period.
• Quartered construction → references turn-of-the-century jersey design rather than modern graphic templates.
• Lace-up Mandarin-style collar → gives the shirt its strongest early-1900s visual cue.
• Historic SFC monogram → replaces the modern crest and takes the identity back towards Spezia Football Club’s beginnings.
• No commercial chest sponsor → keeps the front visually closer to a historical shirt.

The SFC Crest and the 1944 Scudetto

One of the smartest decisions is the use of the historic SFC monogram over the heart.

Rather than inserting the modern Spezia badge into an old-fashioned design, the club revived one of its oldest symbols. The result makes the shirt feel more coherent: every major visual element points backwards.

Spezia also retained its honorary 1944 Scudetto, although in a different position. The badge honours the extraordinary wartime achievement associated with the Spezia Fire Brigade side, one of the most important chapters in the club’s history.

This is what separates a convincing heritage shirt from a generic retro design. The details are not there because they look old. They refer to specific moments in the identity of the club.

A Modern Match Jersey Disguised as Something Much Older

Despite its appearance, the shirt is not built like a century-old replica.

Spezia confirmed that the anniversary jersey is based on Kappa’s KOMBAT™ 2026 match platform. It uses recycled textured fabric and HYDRO-WAY PROTECTION technology, while the official fit is described as regular.

That contrast is one of the most interesting aspects of the design. The silhouette and technical construction belong to modern soccer, but almost everything the eye sees is deliberately historical.

Even the commercial partners stepped away from the front. Spezia thanked Segnoverde, Dani Shipping and Iozzelli for supporting the decision not to display commercial logos on the commemorative shirt.

Without a large sponsor across the chest, the quartered pattern, collar and old SFC mark have space to become the actual design.

“Spezia 120 Anni”: The Anniversary Detail on the Back

The reverse continues the split colour treatment instead of becoming a plain panel.

Under the collar sits an embroidered “SPEZIA 120 ANNI” detail, identifying the shirt without dominating it.

Inside the collar, Spezia also included words associated with Paolo Ponzo, one of the club’s most loved figures. The message centres on the honour and responsibility carried by anyone who wears the shirt — a particularly fitting detail for an anniversary release built almost entirely around identity.

Why Only 700 Jerseys?

Spezia confirmed that the anniversary release was limited to just 700 individually numbered pieces.

That number gives the shirt a different character from the club’s standard 2026/27 home, away and third jerseys. It was created for a particular date, a particular match and a specific historical milestone.

The team wore the anniversary jersey against Gubbio on 10 October 2026, exactly 120 years after Spezia Football Club was founded.

The connection to the match continued afterwards. On 19 October, Spezia announced that four jerseys prepared for the anniversary fixture would be auctioned through MatchWornShirt, with proceeds going to Fondazione Theodora.

How It Compares With Spezia’s Regular 2026/27 Home Shirt

Spezia already had a retro-influenced home jersey for its 120th anniversary season.

That shirt is predominantly white with fine black pinstripes, black trim and a more conventional polo-style collar. It celebrates the anniversary while remaining immediately recognisable as modern Spezia.

The dedicated 120th Anniversary jersey takes a completely different approach.

Instead of referencing the familiar black-and-white identity, it reaches further back, to the period before those colours were permanently adopted in 1911.

That makes it more interesting from a jersey-culture perspective. It does not simply celebrate “120 years”. It asks what Spezia might look like if its earliest identity were reconstructed through modern Kappa technology.

Expert Verdict: Heritage Without Looking Like a Costume

Anniversary jerseys often fail in one of two ways: they either change too little, becoming a regular shirt with an extra badge, or they force so many historical elements into the design that the result feels theatrical.

Spezia and Kappa avoid both problems.

The quartered blue-and-white palette is unusual enough to separate this shirt from the rest of the 2026/27 collection, while the collar, monogram and absence of sponsorship all support the same historical idea.

It also fits the current movement in jersey design towards more thoughtful heritage references. Instead of reproducing one famous old shirt, Spezia has reconstructed an era.

From a casual-wear perspective, the pale blue and white palette is much softer than many modern jerseys and works particularly well away from matchday. The lace-up collar provides the visual personality, but the rest of the design remains restrained.

Most importantly, someone unfamiliar with Spezia can look at this shirt and immediately understand that there is a story behind it. That is exactly what a strong anniversary jersey should achieve.

Spezia 120th Anniversary Jersey Technical Details

Sizing and Fit

Spezia officially describes the anniversary jersey as a regular fit. The club’s announcement does not provide enough body measurements to responsibly convert its sizing into Australian equivalents.

Customers ordering soccer jerseys through Al'sportswear can send their height and weight for sizing assistance before finalising an order.

Collector Verdict

The collector appeal here is straightforward.

This is an official anniversary jersey tied to a specific historical date, produced in a verified run of only 700 individually numbered pieces and worn on the pitch during the club’s 120th birthday celebration.

But scarcity is only part of the story.

The design is distinctive enough to stand independently from Spezia’s normal identity, while every important feature — colours, monogram, collar, 1944 badge and sponsor-free front — has a reason to be there.

For jersey collectors interested in the current heritage revival, this is a strong example of how clubs can use history without simply reproducing an old shirt.

Frequently Asked Questions

When was the Spezia 120th Anniversary jersey released?

Spezia officially presented the shirt on 6 October 2026, four days before the club’s 120th birthday.

Who made the Spezia anniversary jersey?

Kappa produced the jersey as part of its partnership with Spezia Calcio.

Why is the jersey pale blue and white?

The colours reference Spezia’s earliest period, before the club permanently adopted its familiar white-and-black identity in 1911.

Why does it have a lace-up collar?

The collar is designed to evoke soccer jerseys from the early twentieth century and supports the wider historical theme of the shirt.

Is the Spezia 120th Anniversary jersey limited edition?

Yes. Spezia confirmed a production run of 700 individually numbered pieces.

Was the anniversary jersey worn in a match?

Yes. Spezia wore the commemorative shirt against Gubbio on 10 October 2026, exactly 120 years after the club’s foundation.

Sources

1. Spezia Calcio — Spezia Calcio and Kappa Present the 120th Anniversary Celebratory Kit — 6–7 October 2026
2. Spezia Calcio — 120 Years: Four Spezia-Gubbio Shirts Up for Auction — 19 October 2026
3. Footy Headlines — Stunning Spezia Calcio 120-Year Anniversary Kit Released — 7 October 2026
4. Football Shirt Culture — Spezia Calcio 120th Anniversary Jersey by Kappa Revealed — 9 October 2026
5. Mantos do Futebol — Spezia Calcio e Kappa lançam nova camisa de 120 anos do clube — October 2026