Salford City aims for global visibility through rebranding efforts.

Salford City aims to establish itself as the “best small club in the world by 2030,” relying on a rebranding inspired by David Beckham to enhance its recognition as an EFL League Two club.

This Saturday’s FA Cup fourth round match against Manchester City will provide Salford with a brief opportunity to shine on the global stage. The team suffered an 8-0 defeat at the Etihad in the previous season’s third round, but the decision to revert to the club’s traditional orange-and-black colors starting next season is intended to honor its heritage while mirroring the approach taken by Inter Miami, Beckham’s MLS team, known for their distinctive pink jerseys.

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Co-owned by Singaporean billionaire Peter Lim and members of Manchester United’s “Class of ’92” — Gary Neville, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs, Nicky Butt, and Phil Neville — following the acquisition of the then-ninth tier club in 2014 (with Beckham becoming a shareholder in 2019), only Gary Neville and Beckham, along with several other investors, currently hold shares in the club. Despite Salford achieving four promotions in five years to gain EFL status in 2019, the choice made by Neville in 2014 to abandon the club’s traditional colors in favor of the red, white, and black associated with United was not universally embraced by fans.

“When the [Class of ’92] lads took over the club, they believed that adopting red, white, and black was a chance to innovate,” Beckham stated on Salford’s YouTube channel. “However, Gary quickly recognized that this may have been a misstep.

“The supporters connected Salford City with the orange-and-black colors, and I have seen with Miami how crucial it is for fans and the club to have a distinct identity. Returning to that truly restores our identity of what Salford represents.”

After taking control of the club with Beckham in May 2025 — there is no multi-club connection or partnership with Inter Miami — Neville and his former United teammate opted to reassess the club’s colors and crest, which had also been changed in 2014. After the initial miscalculation, Neville decided to put the matter to a vote among the club’s 1,100 season ticket holders, emphasizing that any alteration must receive support from at least two-thirds of the fans.

In the ballot conducted last October, 77.1% voted to revert to orange-and-black, while 72% supported a change to the team badge, meaning both will be updated at the beginning of the 2026-27 season. Plans will also be made to change the stadium colors from red to orange at a later date.

“The original change was made because the new owners preferred red due to the United connection, which naturally attracted many United fans to the club,” Salford CEO Gavin Fleig told ESPN.

“However, while those intentions were well-meaning, Gary acknowledges it wasn’t the best decision for the club and its identity, which is why we are returning to orange. If you are in Salford or Manchester and you see red, you think of United, not Salford. But moving forward, you will definitely think of Salford City, and not just in Manchester, as we believe the new identity will take us much further.

“Before joining Salford, I was with the City Football Group, where we had Palermo as part of the group. Palermo was the first club globally to wear pink, but people now automatically associate that color with Miami. That’s likely where David’s influence comes in, as he has been very enthusiastic about the change. If you see a pink shirt, you think of Miami; our hope is that when you see orange, you think of Salford.”

Beckham’s impact has also reached the new Salford crest, with the club engaging Milk Agency, the New York-based branding consultancy that created Inter Miami’s logo, to design Salford’s new emblem.

“Our current badge, introduced in 2014, lacks our name, and as a modern football club, if you want to gain international recognition, your name needs to be on the badge,” Fleig explained.

“We developed a crest that is distinctive to us, incorporating simple, authentic elements of Salford.”

Salford’s recent 1-0 loss to Accrington Stanley in their last league match prevented the team from moving into the automatic promotion spots in League Two, but they remain in the playoff zone with their aspirations for advancement still alive. The FA Cup match against City provides a respite from the promotion chase and a glimpse of the upper echelons of the sport, which Salford is determined to reach.

“By 2030, we aim to be the best small club in the world,” Fleig stated. “That is our goal.

“We aspire to build a club that is prepared for the Championship and has Premier League potential within the next five years. If we apply that ambition across our commercial activities, first team, our Lionesses [women’s team], our academy, and our business operations, this club will achieve significant success.”

But will the rebranding draw new fans to Salford? Neville now sports an orange watch strap and an orange phone case as reminders of the impending change, and with United red no longer part of the club’s identity, some City supporters may now be inclined to watch their nearby rivals.

“The rationale behind this isn’t to cater to Manchester City fans,” Neville remarked. “However, if there is an unintended advantage, we will welcome it!”