FK Austria Wien, commonly known as Austria Wien, is an Austrian football club based in Vienna’s Favoriten district. The club was founded in 1911 as Wiener Amateur-Sportverein (WAS) and was renamed Fußballklub Austria Wien (FAK) in 1926, 100 years before the club’s 2026 anniversary season.[1] The club’s colours have been violet and white since its founding in 1911.[1]
Design and History
The club’s visual identity has evolved through several distinct crests. The first crest, used from 1911 to 1926, featured the intertwined initials “VSA” inside a shield, reflecting the club’s original name, Wiener Amateur-Sportverein.[2]
In 1969, Austria Wien introduced a minimalist crest featuring the intertwined initials “FAK” inside a simple violet circle. The large central “A” represented Austria, while the “F” and “K” were incorporated on either side.[2] The abbreviation FAK derives from the letter arrangement in the Austria emblem, which was modelled on the earlier WAS emblem.[3]
A dramatic departure came in 1975, when the club unveiled a more elaborate blue-and-gold crest featuring the FAK initials beneath a double-headed eagle, accompanied by footballs and the inscription “Austria W.A.C. Elementar Fussball Klub.” This design was introduced during the club’s cooperation with Wiener AC and the sponsorship of Elementar, but remained in use for only two seasons.[2]
In 1977, Austria Wien returned to a simpler circular crest that became the club’s modern classic. The traditional FAK monogram was placed at the centre, surrounded by the inscription “Fussballklub Austria Wien.” The founding year 1911 was split into “19” and “11” on either side of the monogram, with violet as the dominant colour. This design remained virtually unchanged for thirty years.[2]
The crest underwent a subtle refinement in 2007. Although the overall composition remained identical, the violet colour was slightly lightened, the typography refined and the outlines simplified to improve visibility across digital media, television and merchandise.[2]
In 2011, two gold stars were added above the crest to celebrate Austria Wien’s domestic success, with each star representing ten Austrian league championships. The badge itself remained unchanged, preserving the iconic design introduced in 1977.[2] As a 24-time Austrian champion, the club is entitled to display two stars in its crest, with one star awarded per ten championship titles.[3]
For the club’s 115th anniversary in 2026, Austria Wien released anniversary kits featuring the historic club crest alongside the five club logos spanning the club’s history, displayed on Urania facade bands down the centre of the shirt.[1]
Meaning and Symbolism
The club’s violet and white colours have been central to its identity since 1911.[1] The nickname “Die Veilchen” (The Violets) derives from these colours.[2] The round basic form with its inner rings in the current crest was taken from the club’s original logo.[4]
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