Newcastle United found themselves changing shirts in the middle of their pre-season friendly against Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday — an unusual interruption that highlighted the persistent headache of kit clashes in modern football.

The Magpies started the game at St James' Park in their black and white home strip, which features a blue trim. The problem arose when it became apparent that Bayer Leverkusen's away kit — a mint design with a blue pattern — created a clash, particularly across the backs of both sets of shirts. Rather than play on through the confusion, officials called a halt and Newcastle's players emerged from the first hydration break wearing the club's lilac third strip instead.

A minor farce with a familiar feel

It is the kind of episode that raises a wry smile among supporters, yet also points to something slightly more serious. Kit manufacturers and clubs spend considerable time and money designing strips that stand out, yet the combination of Leverkusen's mint away colours and Newcastle's blue-trimmed home shirt was apparently close enough to cause genuine concern on the pitch.

For a pre-season fixture, the consequences were minimal — the game continued without significant drama, and Bayer Leverkusen went on to win 2-1. But the incident is a useful reminder of why governing bodies have strict colour-clash protocols for competitive matches, and why the responsibility for avoiding such situations ultimately falls on both clubs before a ball is kicked.

Context: a busy pre-season for Newcastle

The friendly formed part of Newcastle United's preparations for the new campaign, with the club using the summer schedule to build fitness and test new combinations under their coaching staff. Facing a side of Bayer Leverkusen's quality — the German club having established themselves as one of Europe's top outfits in recent seasons — represented a stern examination regardless of kit complications.

The 2-1 defeat will matter little in the grand scheme of pre-season, where minutes in the legs and tactical shape tend to take priority over results. What the shirt-swap moment will do, however, is invite questions about how the clash was not spotted earlier — whether in pre-match discussions between the two clubs' kit managers or during the warm-up period before kick-off.

Not the first time, won't be the last

Colour clashes of this nature are not new to English football. The Premier League maintains clear guidelines to ensure teams can be distinguished, and referees have the authority to intervene if they feel the similarity between kits is affecting play. In a competitive match, the issue would typically be resolved long before kick-off. In a loosely arranged pre-season fixture, the checks can sometimes be less rigorous — and Saturday's game at St James' Park illustrated exactly why that matters.

For Newcastle supporters in the ground, it was an entertaining if slightly baffling moment. For the club's kit department, it was no doubt a lesson worth learning before the serious business of the season gets under way.

Frequently asked

Why did Newcastle change their kit during the friendly against Bayer Leverkusen?
There was a colour clash between Newcastle's home shirt, which has a blue trim, and Bayer Leverkusen's mint-and-blue away kit. The backs of the shirts appeared too similar, so Newcastle switched to their lilac third strip at the first hydration break.
What was the result of the Newcastle vs Bayer Leverkusen pre-season friendly?
Bayer Leverkusen won the pre-season friendly 2-1 at St James' Park.
What is Newcastle United's third kit colour for the new season?
According to reports from the friendly, Newcastle United's third strip is lilac, which the players changed into after the kit clash with Bayer Leverkusen's away colours.