The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) is the governing body for association football in the Republic of Ireland. In March 2023, the organisation unveiled its first brand identity update in almost 20 years, introducing two separate visual identities: one for the national teams and a distinct institutional logo for the association itself.[1]
Design and History
The 2023 refresh marked a significant departure from the previous identity, which had been in place since 2004.[2] The FAI stated that the core goal of the process was to “review, redefine and reinvent what the FAI stands for and what it looks, sounds, and behaves like,” following extensive engagement with staff, players, fans, volunteers, officials, coaches, and commercial partners over the preceding year.[3]
The new national team crest, used across men’s, women’s, and youth representative sides, sees the shamrock return to the identity for the first time since 2004.[1] The circular badge features a shamrock on a white background inside an orange border, with the green, white, and orange of the Irish flag near the bottom. “IRELAND” and “FOOTBALL” are written in a green roundel outside that, with another orange border on that roundel.[4]
The decision to create a separate institutional identity for the FAI, decoupled from the national team badge, was taken to highlight its role as the governing body of the sport and to “create a professional look and feel for the organisation and how it engages with internal and external stakeholders.”[1] The institutional logo contains the initials “FAI” in white inside a green circle with an orange border.[4]
Meaning and Symbolism
The new national team identity focuses on the shamrock, a uniquely Irish symbol. Research undertaken by the FAI amongst fans and players clearly demonstrated a desire for the shamrock to feature within the new crest, with “the bold Irish green” at the heart of the logo.[5] The FAI described the new crest as “a nod to the past but set for the future,” a symbol representing pride, passion, and ambition that celebrates the iconic shamrock.[6]
Both new marks are predominantly green while also incorporating the white and orange of the Irish flag.[7] The new national team crest was noted as being far closer to the classic circular badge design worn during the Jack Charlton era of the late 1980s and early 1990s.[2]
Typography and Design
The 2023 identity uses a simplified, geometric approach. The institutional FAI logo removes the previous harp shield outline and football graphic elements, reducing the mark to the three-letter abbreviation “FAI” within a non-closed circle that references a football.[8] The text in both marks uses minimalist sans-serif lettering, with size and hierarchy controlling the layout.[8]
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