From this weekend, football players across the UK will wear poppy emblems on their shirt and these will then be auctioned off.

This autumn MatchWornShirt is proud to stand together with football clubs throughout the UK in support of the Royal British Legion’s Poppy Appeal.

As a symbol of respect, football clubs across the UK will wear shirts featuring an emblem of the poppy. After the matches, these unique shirts will be signed by the players who wore them and made available to own via auction, exclusively on the MWS website and app. The net proceeds of these auctions will go to the Royal British Legion.

This is the eighth consecutive year that MWS has teamed up with the Royal British Legion, having raised well over £4m for the Poppy Appeal. The Royal British Legion’s Poppy Appeal takes place from Thursday 22 October until Armistice Day on Wednesday 11 November 2026; every year the RBL leads the nation in Remembrance across the UK to honour the contribution of our Armed Forces community, past and present.

Since it was first worn as an act of Remembrance more than 100 years ago, the red poppy has become an enduring symbol of support for our Armed Forces. This year, the Royal British Legion’s Poppy Appeal highlights the fact that when someone serves, their family serves too, facing unique challenges and sacrifices alongside their loved one.

Ben France, Head of Corporate Partnerships at the Royal British Legion, said: “When a partner or parent serves, they often spend months away at a time, missing birthdays, anniversaries and first days at school. The impact on family life is the top reason for serving personnel considering leaving their job.

"The RBL is there to support armed forces families during and after service, providing guidance during deployment, helping with financial hardship, support after a bereavement, or caring for a loved one in old age. By bidding in our annual shirt auction, you can help raise vital funds for the Royal British Legion to support the Armed Forces community for life.”

James Flude, Head of Business at MWS, said: “The Royal British Legion’s Poppy Appeal is a powerful reminder of the sacrifices made by our Armed Forces community and their families, and we’re incredibly proud to support it for the eighth consecutive year. We’ve really seen our community get behind this partnership, and last year showed how much fans value these shirts.

"Salah’s Liverpool shirt against Aston Villa topped our 2025 Poppy Appeal auction, and Haaland’s appeared twice in the top five from Manchester City’s fixtures against Liverpool and Bournemouth. Even Elliott Anderson’s shirt from Forest’s game against Leeds went for over £5,800. Every shirt carries the poppy, and every bid helps ensure vital support continues for veterans and service personnel.”

Every donation to the RBL’s Poppy Appeal helps to provide vital support to the Armed Forces community and ensures their unique contribution is never forgotten.

To help the Royal British Legion continue its vital work, head to MWS’s website and get involved in one of the many auctions for this year’s Poppy Appeal: mws.com/poppy