Cambridge United are delighted to have won Best Fan Engagement by a Club – Non-Premier League or Championship Clubs at the Football Business Awards 2026...
The Club received the award for its Crest Project, which placed supporters at the heart of a 14-month journey to create a new identity for Cambridge United. From the initial supporter surveys through to a crest consultation roadshow, fans were involved at every stage before the public vote decided the winning design.
Supporters and members of the wider community were given opportunities to share feedback and register their preference through a wide range of consultation events, including business club meetings, soccer camps, seniors lunches, pre-season friendlies and Fans’ Forums.
Over a 30-day period, the Club engaged with more than 15,000 supporters through in-person events and digital consultation. Fans ultimately selected the current crest, which was launched in June 2025 alongside an acclaimed reveal film featuring club legends in surreal everyday settings, helping to generate excitement and emotional connection across the fanbase.
Despite relegation shortly before the launch, the crest quickly became embedded in the fabric of the Club. The project and new crest was received largely positively - despite crest changes often creating division among supporters - and contributed to record merchandise sales. On the pitch, the crest was proudly worn during a memorable promotion-winning season.
The judges said: “This is first class fan engagement in every sense. The Club badge is at the centre of everything so getting this right over 14 months from start to finish shows the Club is truly connected with its fanbase and has taken the task seriously with authentic engagement at every stage. To read all 3000 comments is some task in itself!
"I thought this was outstanding. A club's brand is precious to fans and as a result messing with it can be dangerous. There are plenty of examples of it going badly wrong. I thought CU did a great job of engaging fans through multiple routes and taking their time to get this right.
"The design of the new badge became the vehicle to engage a whole community, and fitting therefore that a new design capturing the wishes of a new generation of fans was the choice. Notable for the level of engagement across different media and to different generations, it’s almost a template for how you take fans and a community on a journey to feel a sense of belonging.
"Excellent consultation process with fans used to overcome a sensitive subject of badge change. Involving supporters in decisions that affect them most will lead to better response and success.
"The fact the Club increased attendance in spite of relegation is remarkable and to have impacted the younger age group will help future proof the Club."
Cambridge United were shortlisted alongside Cardiff City, CD Leganés (Bronze), FC Bayern Munich, Huddersfield Town, London City Lionesses (Silver) and Walsall.
The Club was also shortlisted for Sponsorship or Partnership of the Year – Non-Premier League or Championship Clubs alongside Brooks Running.
The partnership combined community impact with commercial success through initiatives including the Cambridge United Run Club, support for local runners and charity fundraising, helping encourage more people to get active while contributing to Brooks’ strongest-ever year for UK sales.