Return to Red and Black Tradition: Boulogne Releases Final New Logo, Quelling Fan Controversy
Newly promoted to France's Ligue 2, US Boulogne has just navigated a dramatic brand identity update saga in the span of twelve days. The club released a radical new logo on June 12, but after facing intense backlash from supporters, it swiftly introduced a revised version on June 24, re-embracing the club's iconic red and black tradition. The incident has become a landmark case of fan power influencing club decisions.
Established in 1898, US Boulogne is a historic French football club. Following their successful promotion from the Championnat National and ahead of the 2025-26 Ligue 2 season, the club decided to update the logo it had been using since 2009 to welcome the new challenge with a modernized image.
However, the first version of the new logo, released on June 12, sparked an uproar. The design featured a modern shield with an aggressively styled black swan as the centerpiece, but the overall color scheme almost completely abandoned the club's traditional red and black combination, opting instead for a primarily black and white palette with only minor red accents on the top text and fish icons. This drastic change immediately ignited the fury of the fans, with social media flooded with criticism that the new logo had abandoned the club's identity and soul.
Facing overwhelming negative feedback, US Boulogne made a decision rare in modern football: to listen and act swiftly. Just 12 days later, on June 24, the club unveiled the modified, final version of the logo.
The new logo retains the modernized shield silhouette and the core dynamic swan figure from the June 12 version but makes a fundamental return in its coloring. Designers reintroduced the classic red-and-black vertical split, dividing the shield in two (red on the left, black on the right), directly addressing the fans' core demand. The swan figure is cleverly integrated, with the color of its wings matching the background sections, creating a harmonious and powerful visual effect. The "USBCO" wordmark and "1898" founding year at the top, as well as the two fish symbols representing Boulogne's status as France's largest fishing port, have all been retained.
The club's initial intention was to usher in a new era in Ligue 2 with a more aggressive and modern design. The swan, a symbol of the city of Boulogne, represents elegance and strength, while the fish motifs highlight its deep maritime port heritage. However, they had clearly underestimated the significance of the red and black colors in the hearts of the fans.
The final version of the logo can be seen as a successful compromise. It achieves the club's desired modern form and dynamic composition while respecting its century-long history and the emotional identity of its supporters by restoring the core red and black color scheme. The club's official statement also emphasized that the change was made "to unite all who love USBCO," signaling its willingness to shape the club's future together with its fan community.
