FC Twente, the professional football club based in Enschede, Netherlands, was founded in 1965 through a merger between Enschedese Boys and Sportclub Enschede. The club’s visual identity has remained remarkably consistent since its founding, built around a red shield bearing a white rearing horse and the club’s name and founding year.
Design and History
The FC Twente crest is a red shield with a white outline, featuring a white rearing horse with a flowing mane above subtle panel lines that suggest a football. The shield carries the inscription “F.C. TWENTE” at the top and “1965” at the base, marking the year of the club’s founding through the merger of Enschedese Boys and Sportclub Enschede.[1]
The original logo was designed by Martin Peters, a volunteer who was a member of Sportclub Enschede at the time of the merger. According to the club’s official website, immediately after the “Nacht van Vrieler” on 13 April 1965, when members of both clubs approved the merger, Peters’ first task was designing the FC Twente logo.[2] Peters remained a club volunteer for sixty years, also writing the official club song in 1968.[2]
The shield-and-horse formula was established from the club’s earliest logos and has been refined in the modern version seen today.[1] While the primary crest has remained red, the club has occasionally adapted the logo’s color to match alternate kits. In 2016, the club presented an away shirt with a blue logo, a practice that had occurred before: in the late 1980s the club played with a dark blue adapted logo, and in the early 1980s a similar change was made. The club’s spokesperson stated that the club and logo color remains red at all times and is only adjusted in certain situations.[3]
Meaning and Symbolism
The horse on the FC Twente crest is the Twentsche Ros, also known as the Saksenros or Saxon Steed, a heraldic symbol of a rearing white horse. The symbol is used in the Netherlands in Twente on the regional flag and also as the logo of FC Twente.[4] The horse thus connects the club directly to the Twente region and its Saxon heritage rather than only to the city of Enschede.[1]
Typography and Design
The club’s official house style specifies two typefaces: Iceberg and Poppins. These are listed among the design requirements for official club materials, along with the club’s core values of Ambitie (Ambition), Noaberschap (Neighborliness) and Trots (Pride).[5]
The club’s official brand colors include FC Twente red (HEX #CA0216), dark red (HEX #910d13), light grey (HEX #C6C6C5) and dark grey (HEX #414140).[5]
Logo Index is an independent educational archive covering logos, visual identities and graphic design history. All trademarks and brand assets remain the property of their respective owners.
