“Design in China”​ e23 – Anar FC – Catering To Football Lovers in China

When you think of football, you think of Europe. The sport is also incredibly popular in the most populated country in the world, China. It’s also the favorite sport of the country’s president.

The love for football in China is embodied by Anar FC, a Chinese football club and collective that’s more of a celebration of football than a competitive body. The football club has offered football fans an opportunity to meet each other and discover one another’s heritage and nationality, especially in a city like Shanghai with people from all around the world. The organization uses football as a means of interaction with a wide range of individuals from various backgrounds.

They also provide merchandise for football fans, such as films and clothing. Moreover, Anar FC is made up of athletes from Beijing, Hong Kong, London, Paris, Taiwan, Shanghai, and Xinjiang, who are all bonded by their passion for football and the emotions, friendships, and relationships it can foster even before or after the traditional weekly match.

The club was formed early in 2020 when China experienced its first shutdown under COVID-19. People were confined to their homes, and moods were pretty down. A bunch of friends who played football came up with the idea of forming a collective that boasts friendship through the game. Anar FC expresses the collective’s desire to combine its imaginative faculties with its knowledge of football culture. For the brand, the aesthetics of football from the 1990s to the new century have had a significant impact. Anar was originally founded to create distinctive kits for players and fans. For Anar FC members, football jerseys are more than simply a uniform. It serves as a visual signal for identifying the opposition on the field and a platform for communicating the brand’s grasp of the football culture and street fashion.

The Anar jersey has a different theme every year, such as “Unity” or “World Peace.” Anar FC also created the short film “Play Everywhere” in partnership with the Shanghai-based streetwear brand An Ko Rau. Anar FC’s performances unique selling point (USP) is their playful and laid-back environment for both their game and lifestyle clothing, which is inspired by the spirit of football. Additionally, this year they plan to throw a football party named Shanghai Football Rave. The party will be designed for football fans to share and celebrate their love for football. Shanghai Football Rave will open registration on-site. The collective will reach out to well-known players and community influencers from Shanghai to establish a participating squad. To create a party specifically for football, the leader of Chinese electronic music, Howie Lee, will collaborate with Anar FC artists such as Baadaam, Billy Starman, SoSo, and Wes Chen.

In the long term, we hope that ANAR will inspire more young Chinese people and that more football clubs like this will emerge in China. Source NSS sports