Oxford United apologise after 'United 93' merchandise sparks 9/11 backlash
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KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Oxford United withdrew their "United 93" Campus Collection after criticism.
- The number 93 was intended to reference the club's 1893 founding year.
- The club apologised and said their merchandise approval process will be reviewed.
The League One club withdrew the Campus Collection after criticism emerged over the timing and wording of the range, which drew attention because it was released close to the 25th anniversary of 9/11.
The collection featured American-inspired sportswear, including football- and baseball-style shirts, with "United 93" appearing on the back of one of the designs.
The reference was not intended to relate to the attacks. Instead, 93 referred to the year 1893, when the club was originally founded as Headington FC. Oxford United's official history confirms that the club were formed in 1893 before becoming Headington United and later changing their name to Oxford United in 1960.
Nevertheless, the combination of the words "United" and "93" created an obvious association with Flight 93, particularly given the proximity to the 9/11 anniversary.
What happened with the 'United 93' shirts?
The timing quickly became an issue.The 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks fell on 11 September 2026, with the collection attracting scrutiny around the same period.
The controversy centred on the historical meaning attached to United Airlines Flight 93, one of four commercial aircraft hijacked during the 2001 attacks.
According to the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, 19 al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked four planes that morning. Two were deliberately flown into the World Trade Center towers, another struck the Pentagon, whilst Flight 93 crashed into a field in Pennsylvania after passengers and crew fought back against the hijackers.
There were 44 people aboard Flight 93, including the four hijackers. Forty passengers and crew members were killed. The wider September 11 attacks killed 2,977 people, excluding the 19 hijackers from that official victim count.
Oxford avait lancé cette collection le 11 septembre, date de l'attaque sur New York impliquant notamment le détournement par des terroristes de l'avion "United Airlines Flight 93"... https://t.co/BODCzB6yq0 pic.twitter.com/CToehYBqDR
— Olivier Laval (@olivierlaval27) September 18, 2026
Oxford United accept responsibility
Oxford United subsequently issued an apology and removed the entire collection from sale.The range was released without understanding of the historical context and associations.The statement did not suggest that the design was intended as a reference to the 9/11 attacks. Rather, the club attributed the incident to a failure of due diligence in assessing the wider context surrounding the wording.
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.
Why 'United 93' has such a strong association
Flight 93 occupies a distinctive place in the history of 9/11.The aircraft was travelling from Newark, New Jersey, to San Francisco when it was hijacked. Investigations and historical accounts have established that the hijackers intended to use the aircraft as part of the wider attack, with Washington, DC, believed to have been the intended destination.
Passengers and crew became aware of the broader attacks and attempted to regain control of the aircraft. Flight 93 ultimately crashed near Shanksville in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, before reaching its intended target.
The site is now home to the Flight 93 National Memorial, whilst the passengers and crew are commemorated as part of the wider remembrance of those killed on 11 September 2001.
The phrase "United 93" also became widely recognised beyond the flight itself through the 2006 film United 93, which dramatised the events aboard the aircraft.
A merchandising mistake with a clear lesson
For Oxford United, the incident highlights the potential risks involved when historic club references are combined with contemporary branding concepts.The club's founding year is a legitimate and well-established part of its identity. However, when that number was presented as "United 93," the wording created an entirely different cultural reference - one that was particularly prominent during the 25th-anniversary commemorations.
The episode is therefore less about the original historical intention behind "93" and more about how seemingly straightforward branding can acquire a very different meaning when placed in a wider historical context.
For a football club selling merchandise internationally, that context can matter just as much as the design itself.
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