Football club forced to apologise after 9/11 flight kit advert

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FT Desk

Oxford United have been forced to issue an apology after releasing a clothing line which inadvertently referenced the 9/11 terrorist attack.

This week, the club posted pictures on social media of the new clothing line and emblazoned on one of the back of the shirts was "United 93", the call sign of one of the aircraft hijacked on 9/11.

The clothing was meant to reference the year in which Oxford United was founded in 1893.

Social media users quickly pointed out the 9/11 connotations and the club said the line had been released "without understanding of the historical context and associations".

The full statement from the club read:

"Oxford United would like to sincerely apologise for the recent launch of the Campus Collection.

"The range was released without understanding of the historical context and associations. It should not have reached the point of sale and we take full responsibility for not undertaking proper due diligence.

"We have removed the collection with immediate effect and are reviewing our approval processes to ensure nothing like this happens again.

Club statement: Campus Collection. pic.twitter.com/9G3QtJ9f8Q

— Oxford United (@OUFCOfficial) September 18, 2026

"Once again, we would like to put on record our sincere apologies for this error and for any offence caused."

One user on the Yellows Forum for Oxford City fans called it a “monumental cock-up that I would expect to be sacked for if I’d signed off on it”.

Another wrote: “Whilst not ideal … everyone who sees this realises there’s no malicious intent. Ultimately there was just no consideration to it at all.”

United Airlines Flight 93 was an aircraft travelling from Newark, New Jersey, to San Francisco on September 11, 2001, when it was hijacked as part of the coordinated terrorist attacks in the United States which also targeted the Pentagon in Virginia and the World Trade Centre in New York City.

After learning through phone calls that other hijacked planes had been deliberately crashed into targets, several passengers and crew members attempted to regain control of the aircraft.

Their effort led to the plane crashing into a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania before it could reach the hijackers' intended target. All 40 passengers and crew members aboard were killed, but the actions of those on Flight 93 are widely credited with preventing the aircraft from reaching its intended destination.