While the days are still pretty short in the Northern Hemisphere, English Premier League club AFC Bournemouth has teamed up with North America’s brightest city to bring a little light into the darkness.
Bournemouth and Visit Las Vegas — the public brand of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority — have teamed up to produce a highly exclusive glow-in-the-dark kit, which will be released at sundown in Bournemouth (4:27 p.m. GMT) on Monday, January 12.
Only 50 of the shirts will be available worldwide through AFC Bournemouth’s online store. They were designed in partnership with U.K.-based creative agency ilovedust, which has collaborated with Nike on World Cup collections and with other high-profile European football clubs like FC Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, Liverpool FC and Manchester City.
With the lights on, the jersey is mostly black, with Bournemouth’s signature red and black vertical stripes fading in and out on the chest and back. “LAS VEGAS” is emblazoned across the front, and a one-color white version of the club’s crest sits on the left chest. Neon cherries — a nod to both slot machines and the club’s nickname — appear on the front of the jersey, while blurry rolling dice appear on the back.
Blending football, fashion and culture, the kit features the club’s signature cherries, a nod to Bournemouth’s iconic “Cherries” nickname and Las Vegas’ retro slot machine heritage. The blurred neon details with iridescent finishes evoke a bold Vegas aesthetic and the speed, motion and excitement of the game.
— AFC Bournemouth press release
Blurry blue stripes run across the collarbones, while four-pointed stars and other blurred effects run down the sleeves. The back of the jersey features the number 7 in a slot-machine style, along with an alternate Bournemouth crest underneath and the word “Fabulous” embroidered in a script font on the back collar.
When the lights go out, the white elements glow in the dark. These include the club crest, the “LAS VEGAS” wordmark on the front, the stars on the sleeves, the number 7 and the logo on the back, and a Visit Las Vegas logo on the left sleeve.
“Vegas has always been where spectacle, creativity, and culture come together, and this kit takes that energy straight to football fans worldwide,” said Kate Wik, Chief Marketing Officer for Visit Las Vegas. “We’re focused on evolving how Las Vegas shows up globally, moving beyond traditional destination marketing to create moments that live in daily culture. By partnering in unexpected, design-driven ways, we keep Vegas top of mind, spark conversation, and bring our brand to life far beyond the Strip.”
Visit Las Vegas is AFC Bournemouth’s training kit sponsor. The club is owned by Bill Foley, who is also the owner and chairman of the National Hockey League’s Vegas Golden Knights.
“The glow-in-the-dark kit really is a celebration of two worlds fueled by energy, passion, and unforgettable moments. The collaboration brings the brightness of Vegas to the heart of football, symbolising ambition, excitement, and the shared spirit of putting on a show. Together with Visit Las Vegas, we have created a kit that stands out under the lights and embodies the thrill of our journey, on the pitch and beyond.”
— Jim Frevola, President of Business Operations, AFC Bournemouth
Though AFC Bournemouth players won’t wear the glow-in-the-dark kits on the pitch, they will don Las Vegas-inspired pullover jackets prior to their home match today (Wednesday, January 7) against Tottenham Hotspur.
