Toulouse Football Club, commonly known as Toulouse FC or TéFéCé, is a French professional football club based in Toulouse. The club’s current visual identity dates to June 2018, when it was unveiled during a press conference ahead of the 2018-2019 season [1].
Design and History
The current Toulouse FC crest is a circular emblem built around the coat of arms of the city of Toulouse, which served as the club’s first logo in 1937 [2]. The design combines three historical symbols from the club’s past: the city arms at the center, the circular form and “Toulouse Football Club” lettering from the 1986-era badge, and subtle white and violet stripes in the central circle that reference the previous logo [1][2].
The 2018 mark was adapted from a supporter-designed anniversary crest. In 2017, for the club’s 80th anniversary, Toulouse FC held a contest inviting supporters to create a commemorative logo. Julien Labazuy’s entry was selected from roughly 400 submissions, and the club later “cleaned up” or simplified that design to create its primary badge [1][2]. The club described the goal as evoking TéFéCé history in a vintage style while remaining modern in its colors and typography [2].
Before this redesign, the club had used a largely unchanged logo for more than 15 years, with a quick color refresh in 2010 [3]. The 2018 crest also marked the return of the city’s coat of arms, which had been absent from Toulouse FC logos since 1990 [3].
The club’s violet identity dates to 1979. When the Toulouse Football Club name was restored on 13 July 1979, the board wanted a complete change, creating a new logo and switching the colors from red to violet [4]. The violet was inspired by the violet flower, a symbol of Toulouse, which is nicknamed the “Cité des Violettes” [5]. Former president Christian Garrigues, who led the club from 1979 to 1982, recalled that the idea originated with a director involved in organizing Toulouse’s violet festival [4].
Meaning and Symbolism
The current crest’s central element, the city coat of arms, was the club’s very first emblem in 1937 [2]. The circular format and lettering pay homage to the 1986 badge, a period associated with the club’s European run against Napoli [1][2]. The white and violet stripes in the background reference the previous logo, which supporters had chosen in 2001 [2].
Typography and Design
The club’s official statement on the 2018 redesign noted that the new identity was intended to be “modern at the level of colors and typographies used” [2]. The circular badge includes “Toulouse Football Club” text arranged around the ring, a format carried over from the 1986-era logo [1]. Specific typeface details have not been officially documented.
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