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Virat Kohli in IPL 2026 (Source:AFP)
Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have officially unveiled their new matchday jersey ahead of the IPL 2026 season. The jersey launch comes weeks after the franchise faced online trolling from fans over a social media post that showed three stars above the team's trophies.
The new kit, released in collaboration with PUMA, features a single gold star above the team crest. The star symbolises RCB's historic first IPL title win in 2025, when they finally ended their long wait for the trophy.
RCB launch IPL 2026 Jersey with one star
The most noticeable change in the 2026 jersey is the addition of the 'Gold Star' placed directly above the crest.
RCB finally lifted their first IPL trophy last year after defeating Punjab Kings in a thrilling final held in Ahmedabad. The victory marked a historic moment for the franchise and its massive fan base, which had supported the team through many near-misses over the years.
The team, led by captain Rajat Patidar, will enter the IPL 2026 season as defending champions for the first time in their history.
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The jersey maintains RCB's iconic colour scheme of navy blue and flame scarlet red. However, the design has been slightly updated.
Instead of the sharp colour blocks seen in earlier kits, the new version features a smoother gradient transition between the red and navy sections.
Another design highlight is a subtle geometric lightning pattern embedded in the fabric, which represents the aggressive, energetic style of cricket associated with the franchise.
In addition, the 2026 jersey introduces a new collar design with a zipper, replacing the traditional T-shirt-style neckline used in previous seasons. The jersey also features a new title sponsor, smartphone brand Nothing.
Fans question earlier post that showed three stars
The jersey launch comes shortly after RCB faced online criticism for a social media post celebrating the franchise's recent trophy wins.
Earlier this month, the team shared an image on the social platform X featuring both the IPL and WPL trophies.
In the graphic, Royal Challengers Bengaluru displayed three stars above the image to represent three recent titles: the men’s IPL triumph in 2025 and two titles won by the women's team in the WPL 2024 and 2026.
However, some fans argued that stars on a men's team jersey should represent titles won in the same competition. With the new jersey officially revealed, featuring just one gold star, the design appears to follow the traditional practice.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru set to begin IPL 2026 campaign against SRH
Meanwhile, RCB will begin their IPL 2026 season with a home match against Sunrisers Hyderabad at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
The team will then continue their home run with another high-profile clash against long-time rivals CSK on April 5.
After the opening two matches in Bengaluru, the team will travel to their first away fixtures of the season. They are scheduled to face the Rajasthan Royals before taking on the Mumbai Indians.
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