The DFB-Pokal Gets Its First Rebrand in a Decade — Rawer, Louder, Violet
Germany's DFB-Pokal has unveiled its first visual overhaul in ten years, designed by Stuttgart studio Strichpunkt — swapping a ribbon motif for the real trophy's silhouette and adding electric violet to chase a younger, social-first audience.
What Actually Changed
The German Football Association has given its cup competition its first major redesign since 2016. Created by Stuttgart design agency Strichpunkt, the new identity replaces the old spiralling-ribbon look with bold, realistic silhouettes of the actual trophy, a refreshed circular frame with black-red-gold accents, and modernised typography aligned to the DFB's wider brand.
The headline choice is colour. Alongside the Pokal's classic green for stadiums, the system introduces an electric violet as a digital contrast colour — a deliberate signal that this refresh was designed for screens first.
A Rebrand Built for the Feed
The DFB describes the new look as rawer, more dynamic and more emotional, aimed squarely at younger fans and engineered for highlight clips and behind-the-scenes content. In other words, the brand is being tuned for TikTok and Instagram, not just the trophy presentation.
Crucially, it's a unified system spanning the men's DFB-Pokal, the DFB-Pokal Frauen and the junior competitions — rolling out across broadcast graphics, sleeve patches, digital channels and stadium dressing from the opening rounds of the 2026-27 season.
The Two-Colour Playbook
The smartest detail is the split personality: heritage green for physical venues, electric violet for digital. It's a neat way to modernise without alienating traditionalists — the in-stadium experience keeps its equity while the online presence gets a jolt of energy.
That dual-palette approach is becoming a template for legacy sports properties. When your brand lives on a pitch and in a vertical video at the same time, a single colour rarely serves both jobs well.
Marketing Minute's Read
Our take: a decade between refreshes is a long time in a feed-driven world, and the DFB is right to prioritise digital legibility. The lesson for any heritage brand is that you can evolve the system for modern channels without throwing away the equity people already love.
Watch the violet. If it travels well across broadcast, social and merchandise, expect other rights-holders to copy the 'heritage colour plus digital accent' model. It's a low-risk way to look current without a full teardown.
Quick FAQ
Who designed the new DFB-Pokal identity?
Stuttgart design agency Strichpunkt created the rebrand — the competition's first major visual overhaul since 2016.
What's new in the DFB-Pokal look?
Realistic trophy silhouettes replace the old ribbon motif, typography is modernised, and an electric violet joins the classic Pokal green as a digital contrast colour.
When does it launch?
From the opening rounds of the 2026-27 season, across broadcast graphics, sleeve patches, digital channels and stadium dressing — unified across the men's, women's and junior competitions.
This is a masterclass in evolving heritage without erasing it. Green stays for the stadium; violet takes over the feed. Splitting a brand's palette by context — physical versus digital — is one of the shrewdest moves a legacy property can make in 2026, and I expect plenty of imitators. — Daniel Nikolla, Founder of Merx Marketing
You can modernise a heritage brand for the feed without torching its equity — evolve the system, keep what people already love.
Does your brand still use one palette everywhere, or have you designed it to work as hard on a phone as it does in the real world?
If you would like to know more about this topic, please contact us on danieln@merxmarketing.co.uk
Sources: DFB.de, Footy Headlines, HORIZONT, Sport1.
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Written by Daniel Nikolla, Founder of Merx Marketing Ltd and Marketing Minute
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