FC Bayern Munchen Logo PNG
The color scheme and pattern that distinguish the FC Bayern Munich emblem pay homage to the Wittelsbach dynasty’s coat of arms. The emblem’s symbolism demonstrates the club’s commitment to its history and pride in its national identity. Its simplicity has ensured recognizability.
FC Bayern Munich was founded on February 27, 1900, in Munich by eleven players led by Franz John after they left MTV-1879. For decades, the club remained a regional side until 1932, when it defeated Eintracht Frankfurt 2:0 to win its first German title.
The 1930s disrupted development. President Kurt Landauer was forced into exile, and the club lost key figures. After World War II, he returned and attempted to rebuild the structure.
In 1963, Bayern was excluded from the new Bundesliga, while 1860 Munich was selected instead. Promotion came in 1965 under coach Zlatko Čajkovski, who introduced Franz Beckenbauer, Gerd Müller, and Sepp Maier. The team finished third in its first Bundesliga season and won the German Cup.
In 1967, Bayern won the Cup Winners’ Cup against Rangers FC. By 1969, it secured a domestic double. The early 1970s marked a period of dominance, with three consecutive league titles and three European Cups from 1974 to 1976, including victories over Atlético Madrid, Leeds United, and AS Saint-Étienne.
After key players departed, Bayern entered a transitional phase, losing European finals to Aston Villa in 1982 and FC Porto in 1987.
The club returned to European success in 2001, beating Valencia CF on penalties. In 2013, Bayern completed a treble, defeating Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League final.
In 2020, Bayern won six trophies in one year, including a Champions League victory over Paris Saint-Germain, and recorded an 8:2 win against FC Barcelona.
Meaning and History
Three of the seven Bavarian districts, Upper, Middle, and Lower, belong to Franconia. The red color of the Franconia coat of arms has been used for 109 years; hence, the players’ nickname “red pants.” When they play, the “Allianz Arena” lights up in red, not blue, like at the “Munich 1860” matches.
The diagonal white-and-blue pattern “migrated” from the Wittelsbach dynasty’s coat of arms to Bayern’s logo; the Wittelsbachs ruled Upper Bavaria from 1240 to 1918. The founder of this line, Otto I, nicknamed the Red, became infamous (in a bad sense) for being excommunicated by the Pope for insulting a bishop.
Bayern Munich’s logo has changed many times. The club used emblems that were often similar, but others were radically different from earlier ones. Only since 1965 has the Bayern emblem acquired modern features.
The Bundesliga has a rule: for three championships, one star is added to the club’s emblem; for five, two; for ten, three; for twenty, four. Bayern’s emblem can feature four stars to denote 25 German championships.
What is FC Bayern Munich?
FC Bayern is a prestigious German club that has been delighting fans with its victories for over 120 years. It was founded on February 27, 1900, and has since won numerous national cups and titles. It’s now one of the most successful sports organizations in Germany. In 2014, it ranked fourth in Forbes’ list of the world’s best sports teams.
1900 – 1901
In 1900, eleven members of the sports association MTV München founded FC Bayern to join the German Football Association. At the same time, they began using an emblem with a flag, which vexillologists call a “swallow’s tail” because of its characteristic triangular shape.
The symbol features alternating horizontal stripes of white and light blue. In the center of the fluttering banner is a monogram of intertwined letters “FCBM” in a circle. All logo elements are white or light blue, the official colors of the “Freistaat Bavaria.”
1901 – 1906
Experts studying Bayern’s history have not yet determined the exact year this emblem was used. Some believe it was first used in 1901; others lean towards the club adopting it in the early 1920s following several reorganizations.
In any case, the emblem contains the initials FCBM. Outside is a large, stylized letter “C,” which serves as the basis for the rest of the letters. Above the letter “F” looms the letter “M.” In the bottom right corner is the letter “B,” which is very similar in shape to “R.”
1906 – 1919
In 1906, the football club Bayern merged with the sports club München to gain greater financial resources and influence. As part of the deal, Bayern had to adopt its new partner’s colors: white and red. However, the club maintained some independence, calling itself F.A. Bayern im Münchner SC (the abbreviation “F.A.” means “Fußballabteilung” or “football department”).
The logo reflected this change, and it was no longer light blue. Its base is a large letter “B”. The monogram “MSC” is located in the lower inner letter space.
1919 – 1923
In 1919, FC Bayern left the MSC because the organization decided to focus on other team sports, such as tennis and field hockey. FC Bayern immediately came under the control of TS Jahn, which, due to the merger, had to be renamed Turn und Sportverein Jahn München.
Based on the inscription, the logo shown here dates to the period when the football club was called F.A. Bayern. Its base is a green octagon, outlined with yellow lines. The upper part of the geometric figure features the yellow word “BAYERN,” which touches the contour. The lower part of the polygon is divided into three fragments. The sides bear the letters “F” and “A,” and the middle features two white-and-red triangles.
1923 – 1954
In 1923, the football club Bayern again became independent and restored its original name. However, it did not abandon the red-and-white color scheme adopted by the Munich sports club.
The monogram “FCBM” became clearer: designers corrected its shape to avoid misinterpretation. The light blue letters received thin red outlines to match the football organization’s new color scheme.
1954 – 1961
This emblem features three concentric circles: one white and two red. Together, they form a large red circle surrounded by two wide rings. Inside is a white, two-line inscription: “F.C. Bayern.” It uses a bold sans-serif font. The letters look blurry because of the rounded corners.
1961 – 1965
In the first half of the 1960s, a bright red oval logo appeared. Inside it, designers depicted a semi-oval adorned with blue-and-white diamonds. The Freistaat “Bavaria” diamond flag depicts a similar geometric pattern. As the club’s emblem, it conveys patriotism and national pride.
In the upper half of the oval is the yellow word “BAYERN” with unevenly enlarged letters. The same yellow inscription, “MÜNCHEN,” is at the bottom, curved into a reverse arch.
1965 – 1970
At the end of the 1964-1965 season, the club entered the Bundesliga. The emblem was updated to honor this event, replacing the provocative bright red with a more restrained burgundy brown. The white and blue diamonds have thin black contours, which make the drawing more distinct. The word “MÜNCHEN” disappeared, and “BAYERN” was repainted in white. In this emblem version, the oval has a double white-brown contour.
1970 – 1979
In 1970, an even more successful era began in the club’s history, marked by the arrival of new coach Udo Lattek. During this period, the sports organization’s emblem became a rondel divided into two parts. Inside is a small circle with a pattern of white diamonds and light blue polygons. It’s surrounded by a wide red ring with the gold inscription “F.C. BAYERN MÜNCHEN E.V.,” where the last two letters mean “eingetragener Verein,” or “registered association.”
1979 – 1996
After the redesign, all gold elements turned white, and the bright red became a raspberry shade. Designers slightly changed the font and enlarged the letters to clarify the inscription. They had to reduce the central patterned circle to do this. The blue and white diamonds are now angled, making them more similar to the “Freistaat Bavaria” flag.
1996 – 2002
To attract attention, the logo’s authors further enlarged the inscription and removed the dots in the abbreviations. The pattern also changed slightly: the diamond lines are now shifted slightly lower, obviously for symmetry. The colors became more subdued. At the same time, the rondel acquired a blue contour, which had previously been missing for visual balance.
2002 – 2017
The club introduced a new emblem in 2002 when it entered two prestigious football tournaments: the Champions League and the Bundesliga. Unlike previous versions, it no longer uses the abbreviation “E.V.” Removing the two letters allowed “MÜNCHEN” to extend to the length of the upper inscription. The colors became even paler.
2017 – today
In the summer of 2017, the football club changed its logo again. This came to light when a Facebook user saw new photos featuring the FC Bayern emblem and noticed a font mismatch. Official representatives confirmed that the organization carried out the redesign.
Graphic designer Daniel Nyari provided more detailed information. He reported that, instead of pale red, they now use a warm, dark raspberry color, and instead of blue, they use dark blue. In addition, the diamonds in the central circle changed in orientation, although they still do not fully match the pattern on the flag of the “Freistaat Bavaria.”
Font and Colors
The bold sans-serif font used for the club’s name resembles Vectora Black. Swiss typographer Adrian Frutiger created this serif-free font, influenced by fonts such as News Gothic and Franklin Gothic.
The logo’s color palette matches Bayern’s official color palette. Initially, the club was represented only in white and blue. However, after a temporary merger with MSC, it adopted a dark red hue as part of its symbolism.