Yinka Ilori Brings the Spirit of Tottenham to Spurs’ 2026/27 Away Shirt

Football shirts have always been about representation of what you support and the banter you are willing to allow and never been just about the game. As they  carry the identities of the people who wear them, the places they represent and the communities that gather around them. For Tottenham Hotspur, that relationship takes on a new expression through its latest collaboration with British-Nigerian multidisciplinary artist and designer Yinka Ilori MBE.

The club has partnered with Ilori to reimagine its 2026/27 Away shirt, bringing his recognisable approach to colour, pattern and storytelling into the language of football. Inspired by Tottenham’s cultural diversity and neighbourhood character, the design celebrates a place defined by different communities, creative expression and a strong sense of belonging.

Spurs x Yinka Ilori Away Kit. Image credit: Will Jenkins.

The message, “We Are Tottenham, Wherever We Go,” appears on the reverse of the shirt, capturing the idea that belonging to a place does not necessarily depend on being physically present. It is something people carry with them, whether they are standing on the terraces, staying in the pub or supporting their club from elsewhere in the world.

For Ilori, whose work moves across art, architecture, furniture and product design, the collaboration originates on an idea that has long informed his practice: the ability of design to bring people together. 

Football offers a natural extension of those interests. Beyond the spectacle on the pitch, it creates a collective experience in which people from different backgrounds find common ground. The terraces, the chants and the rituals of supporting a club become expressions of a shared identity.

“This project is a celebration of belonging and the power of football to bring people together,” Ilori said. “For me, football is about the wider culture and the incredible sense of unity that comes from standing on the terraces, chanting alongside thousands of others. I wanted the design to honour Tottenham Hotspur’s heritage while capturing that collective joy and spirit.”

Yinka & local creatives from Tottenham. Image credit: Will Jenkins.

His relationship with the neighbourhood also gives the collaboration a more personal dimension. Growing up in Islington, Ilori developed an appreciation for north London’s mix of cultures and communities. More recently, his connection to Tottenham has deepened through his appointment as Artist in Residence at Heart of Hale, Argent Related’s development in Tottenham Hale.

Spending time in the area, exploring its markets and encountering its food, sounds, languages and cultures, has given him a closer understanding of the neighbourhood. What emerged was a sense of familiarity and belonging that connects with the themes running through his work.

The colours of the shirt and visual language are intended to reflect a neighbourhood whose identity has been shaped by the people who live, work and create there.

The phrase “Never Far From Home”, which resonated with Ilori during the project, brings this thinking into focus. As he explained, the sentiment speaks to football’s ability to make people feel at home wherever they find themselves. A shirt becomes more than an item of sportswear; it becomes a visible connection to a community and the place it represents.

Image credit: Will Jenkins.

The collaboration arrives at a period of continued expansion in Ilori’s creative practice. He recently launched his Chairman monograph and exhibition in Islington, alongside the launch of the Yinka Ilori Foundation, extending his work in creativity, culture and community.

With Tottenham Hotspur, those interests find another platform. The away shirt takes the visual identity of an artist and places it within the everyday culture of football, where design is experienced not only as something to look at, but as something people wear and make their own.

Ultimately, “We Are Tottenham, Wherever We Go” is a statement piece about the relationship between place and identity. A neighbourhood may be defined by its streets, markets and communities, but its influence travels with the people who call it home.