Oxford United apologizes for 9/11 reference in clothing range

By the Editorial Team · Saturday, September 19, 2026

Oxford United withdrew its “Campus Collection” clothing line within hours after the use of the phrase “United 93” sparked backlash for its unintended reference to a September 11 hijacked plane. The club apologized for the oversight, attributing it to a lack of due diligence, and has not yet decided if the collection will be relaunched with changes.

Oxford United has withdrawn a new clothing line after it inadvertently referenced the September 11 terrorist attacks. The League One football club introduced the “Campus Collection” on Monday morning but removed it from sale within hours due to concerns over the use of the phrase “United 93” on the apparel, which many found inappropriate given its association with the 9/11 tragedy.

The club initially planned to launch the collection on September 11, marking the 25th anniversary of the attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people in the United States. After reconsideration over the sensitivity of the date, the release was postponed. When the collection finally went live, it featured NFL-style shirts bearing the slogan “United 93,” a reference intended to celebrate the club’s founding year of 1893. However, “United 93” is also the name of one of the four airplanes hijacked on September 11, 2001, which crashed after passengers attempted to regain control from terrorists.

In response to the backlash, Oxford United issued a statement acknowledging the oversight and apologizing for the offense caused. The club said it had failed to understand the “historical context and associations” connected to the phrase and accepted full responsibility for not conducting adequate due diligence. The range remained available online for approximately two hours before being removed.

The statement read in part: “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. Once again, we would like to put on record our sincere apologies for this error and any offence caused.”

Reactions among supporters were mixed. Some expressed frustration, describing the incident as a serious misjudgment that should have been prevented. Others noted that there appeared to be no malicious intent behind the name choice, attributing the issue to a lack of consideration during the design and approval process.

The controversy underscores the challenges organizations can face when aligning branding efforts with culturally sensitive events, particularly when historical understanding is limited. Oxford United has yet to announce whether it will reissue the collection with revised branding.

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