FC Bayern Munchen Logo

FC Bayern Munchen Logo PNG

The color scheme and pattern that distinguishes the FC Bayern Munchen logo is a tribute to the coat of arms of the Wittelsbach dynasty. The emblem’s symbolism demonstrates the club’s commitment to its history and pride in national identity. The simplicity of execution provided recognition.

Meaning and History

Of the seven districts of Bavaria, three are Franconia: Upper, Middle, and Lower. The red color of the coat of arms of the Franconian has been there for already 109 years. Therefore, football players have a nickname “red pants,” When they play, the Allianz Arena is highlighted in red, not blue, as in the matches of Munich 1860.

The diagonal white and blue pattern “migrated” to the FC Bayern Munchen logo from the coat of arms of the Wittelsbach dynasty, which ruled Upper Bavaria from 1240 to 1918. The founder of this family, Otto I, called the Redhead, was famous (in a bad way) for being excommunicated by the Pope from the Church for insulting the bishop.

The logo of FC Bayern Munchen has changed many times. There were emblems, which in many respects are similar to each other, but there were also those that were radically different from the previous ones. Only since 1965, the logo of Bayern Munchen has acquired modern features.

There is a Bundesliga regulation rule: one star is assigned to the club emblem for three championships, two for five titles, three for ten, and four for twenty. The FC Bayern Munchen logo may contain four stars for being the 25-time German champion.

What is FC Bayern Munich?

FC Bayern Munchen is a titled 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 many national cups and titles. It is now one of the most successful sports organizations in Germany. In 2014, she was ranked fourth in the ranking of the best sports teams in the world, according to Forbes.

1900 – 1901

In 1900, eleven members of the MTV München sports association created FC Bayern Munchen to be able to join the German Football Association. At the same time, they began to use the logo with the flag, which in vexillology is called the “dovetail” because of the characteristic triangular cutout.

The symbol is decorated with alternating horizontal stripes of white and light blue. In the center of the waving banner is a monogram of interlaced letters “FCBM” in a ring. All logo elements are either white or light blue because these are the official colors of Freistaat Bayern.

1901 – 1906

Experts studying the history of FC Bayern Munchen have not decided on the exact year of the appearance of this emblem. Some believe that it began to be used in 1901, while others are inclined to believe that the club adopted it in the early 1920s after undergoing several reorganizations.

In any case, the logo contains the initials FCBM. Outside is a large stylized “C,” which serves as the base for the rest of the letters. It has an “M” hanging over an “F.” In the lower right corner is a “B,” shaped very similar to an “R.”

1906 – 1919

In 1906, FC Bayern Munchen partnered with the Münchner Sports Club to gain more money and influence. Under the terms of the deal, he had to adopt the colors of his new partners: white and red. The club retained some independence, calling itself F.A. Bayern im Münchner SC (the abbreviation “F.A.” stands for “Fußballabteilung,” i.e., “football department”).

All this was appropriately reflected in the logo, which was no longer light blue. Its base is a big “B.” The monogram “MSC” is located in the lower intra-letter gap.

1919 – 1923

In 1919, FC Bayern Munchen left the MSC because the organization decided to focus on other team sports: tennis and field hockey. Bayern was immediately taken over by TS Jahn, which had to be renamed Turn- und Sportverein Jahn München due to the merger.

Judging by the inscription, the logo shown here dates back to the period when the football club was called F.A. Bayern. Its base is a green octagon outlined in yellow lines around the edges. The upper part of the geometric figure is occupied by the yellow word “BAYERN,” which is in contact with the outline. The bottom of the polygon is divided into three fragments. In the side parts are the letters “F” and “A,” and in the middle – are two triangles of white and red.

1923 – 1954

In 1923 FC Bayern Munchen became independent again and regained its original name. But at the same time, he did not abandon the red and white color scheme adopted by the Münchner Sports Club.

The “FCBM” monogram has become more legible: the designers have corrected its shape so that there are no discrepancies. The light blue letters have been given subtle red outlines to match the football organization’s new color scheme.

1954 – 1961

This emblem consists of three concentric circles, one white and two red. Their combination looks like a big red circle surrounded by two wide rings. Inside is a white two-level inscription “F.C. Bayern. It uses a bold sans-serif typeface. Letters appear fuzzy due to rounded corners.

1961 – 1965

In the first half of the 1960s, an oval logo in bright red appeared. Designers depicted a semi-oval inside it, decorated with blue and white rhombuses. A similar geometric pattern is featured on the “diamond flag” of Freistaat Bayern. Its use as the emblem of a football club is a demonstration of patriotism and national pride.

In the upper half of the oval is the yellow word “BAYERN” with unevenly enlarged letters. And at the very bottom is the same yellow inscription, “MÜNCHEN,” curved in the form of a reverse arch.

1965 – 1970

At the end of the 1964-1965 season, the club entered the Bundesliga. In honor of this event, he updated the logo, replacing the defiant bright red color with a more restrained burgundy brown. The white and blue diamonds have thin black outlines, which make the pattern clearer. The word “MÜNCHEN” has disappeared, and “BAYERN” has been repainted white. In addition, the oval has a double white and brown outline in this emblem version.

1970 – 1979

In 1970, an even more successful era began in the football club’s history, marked by the arrival of a new coach, Udo Lattek. During this period, the logo of the sports organization turned into a rondel, which can be divided into two parts. Inside is a small circle with a pattern of white diamonds and light blue polygons. Outside, it is surrounded by a wide red ring with a golden inscription “F.C. BAYERN MÜNCHEN E.V.,” where the last two letters stand for “Eingetragener Verein,” that is, “registered association.”

1979 – 1996

After the redesign, all gold elements became white, and the bright red color took on a crimson hue. The designers slightly changed the font and increased the letters so that the inscription was clear. To do this, they had to reduce the central circle with a pattern. The blue and white diamonds now have a slant, making them look more like the flag of Freistaat Bayern.

1996 – 2002

To attract attention, the authors of the logo enlarged the inscription even more and removed the dots in the abbreviations. The pattern has also changed a little: now the lines of rhombuses are shifted a little lower – obviously, for symmetry. Colors have become more muted. At the same time, the rondel has a blue outline, which was previously lacking for visual balance.

2002 – 2017

The club introduced a new emblem in 2002 when it managed to qualify for two prestigious football tournaments: the Champions League and the Bundesliga. Unlike previous versions, there is no longer an abbreviation “E.V.” The removal of two letters allowed the word “MÜNCHEN” to be further enlarged to match the length of the top inscription. The colors are even paler than before.

2017 – today

In the summer of 2017, the football club changed its logo again. This became known when one of the Facebook users saw new photos with the emblem of FC Bayern Munchen and drew attention to the font mismatch. Official representatives of the organization confirmed that the redesign was indeed carried out.

Graphic designer Daniel Nyari provided more details. He reported that instead of pale red, a warm dark crimson color is now used, and instead of blue, dark blue. In addition, the inclination of the diamonds in the central circle has changed, although they still do not fully match the pattern on the flag of Freistaat Bayern.

Font and Colors

The bold sans-serif typeface used for the club’s name is similar to Vectora Black. This sans serif was created by Swiss typographer Adrian Frutiger, influenced by typefaces such as News Gothic and Franklin Gothic.

As for the color scheme of the logo, it matches the official FC Bayern Munchen palette. Initially, the club was represented by only two colors: white and blue. But after a temporary merger with MSC, he began using a dark red shade in his identity.

FC Bayern Munchen color codes