KV Kortrijk, officially Koninklijke Voetbalclub Kortrijk, is a Belgian professional football club based in Kortrijk, West Flanders. The club was formed on 6 May 1971 through a merger of Kortrijk Sport and Stade Kortrijk, adopting the red and white city colors for the new club.[1]
Design and History
The current KV Kortrijk crest is a shield-shaped emblem in red and white. The shield is divided into three sections by a red inverted V shape, a design that mirrors the coat of arms of the city of Kortrijk, which features a red chevron on a white background.[2] The letters “KVK” are distributed across the three sections in red, with a K in each of the two upper corners and a V in the larger lower section. A stylized crown sits above the shield, and a circular red band surrounds it with the full club name “KONINKLIJKE VOETBALCLUB KORTRIJK” at the bottom.[3]
The inverted V motif is a recurring element in the club’s visual identity. The club’s official website describes the inverted V as a detail from the logo that appears as a print across the home shirt.[4] Kit manufacturer Erreà also refers to the upside down V as “the club’s logo” in its description of the 2024-25 match kit.[5]
The club’s red and white colors trace back to the 1971 merger, when the new club started playing in the red and white city colors.[1] The club’s official history notes that football in Kortrijk dates to 1901, and the club celebrated its 125th anniversary in 2026 with a special away shirt incorporating the historical logos of Stade Kortrijk and Kortrijk Sport.[6]
Meaning and Symbolism
The crest’s red chevron on a white shield directly references the coat of arms of the city of Kortrijk, which consists of a red chevron on a white background.[2] The club’s official history confirms that the merger club adopted the red and white city colors at its founding in 1971.[1] The club’s official website describes the red color as symbolizing strength, passion, perseverance, and pride.[4]
The number 19, the club’s registration number with the Royal Belgian Football Association, also appears as a repeated symbol in the club’s kit design alongside the Broel Towers, a landmark of the city of Kortrijk.[5]
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