Southampton will face Leeds United at Wembley Stadium on Sunday in the Championship play-off final.
Leeds United has already struck the first blow in the early one-upmanship game ahead of the Championship play-off final, finishing third in the Championship standings. Leeds, as the higher-placed of the two Wembley finalists, were given first choice on which kit to wear for the big game on Sunday.
Daniel Farke’s club has chosen to play in their typical all-white home kit, which appears to have caused some complications for their opponents. Southampton had hoped to play in their home kit, which is a combination of half all red and half red and white, but that desire has been dashed by an EFL ruling.
Saints’ home kit also includes black shorts and white socks, however wearing white socks would clash with Leeds’ all-white kit, forcing Saints to change and wear either black or red socks, as they did in the past. Southampton FC News reports that this is not an option.
This is due to an unusual rule imposed by the EFL, which states that clubs must tell the EFL prior to the start of the season of any uniforms or kit combinations they will be wearing throughout the campaign, including the play-offs and play-off final should they qualify.
The rule, EFL Regulation 39.1, states: “During the Close Season, each Club shall notify The League in writing details of its ‘home’ and ‘away’ kit (shirt, shorts, and socks) and, if applicable, any ‘third’ set of kit.” Each set of kit registered must be obviously different from and contrasted with the other kits registered by the Club during that season. No alterations to the kit or combination of kit colors will be permitted during the season.”
With Southampton’s away kit being white, that option is obviously out, leaving the Saints with little alternative except to wear their lesser-known third kit of all black, which they recently donned in a 2-1 victory at Eland Road to end the regular season.
