It’s a goal! FC St. Pauli and Karl Anders create a winner of a custom typeface for the beloved club

FC St. Pauli, the German football club celebrated for its unconventional ethos both on and off the pitch, has introduced a custom typeface, FC Sans Pauli, developed by Hamburg-based design studio Karl Anders. This typeface replaces the previously used Futura and reflects the club’s distinctive identity and defiant attitude.

“FC St. Pauli is more than just a football club; it’s a global brand with deep social impact,” explains Marcel Häusler, Creative Director of Contemporary Branding. “Over a million people follow the club on social media, making it the third strongest brand in German professional football. Unlike many other major clubs, FC St.Pauli is more than just a sports team. It’s a social institution with a clear political stance. Our goal was to create a powerful visual statement that would typographically embody FC St. Pauli’s values, and make the brand’s uniqueness tangible in every detail.”

The design draws inspiration from the St. Pauli district’s rich cultural background as well as the club’s history and design legacy. “It’s an absolutely fascinating place, a melting pot of creativity,” notes Henry Monse, Art Director of Contemporary Branding. “We delved deep into the FC St. Pauli archives to forge a strong connection between the club, professional football, and the district’s culture.”

The typeface stands out with its characteristic leftward slant, a visual symbol of the club’s ambition to be different. Claudia Fischer-Appelt, Founder & Executive Creative Director, explains, “The left slant of the typeface is a direct result of FC St. Pauli’s clear political stance. It stands for democracy and an open society. These values are not just written down somewhere; they are truly lived by the club’s community. The typeface is an expression of the club’s deepest convictions and paves the way for further independence of the brand.”

Before the development of FC Sans Pauli, the club used a range of typefaces, including Futura, decorative grunge styles, and tape-inspired fonts, which contributed to its distinct identity. “These fonts have shaped the club’s visual identity for years. Therefore, we asked ourselves – ‘how can we incorporate existing elements into a new system while meeting the brand’s high standards?’” notes Häusler. 

Collaborating with renowned typeface designer Christoph Koeberlin, known for his work on FF Mark, the team developed a typeface family that embodies FC St. Pauli’s activist brand. “The DIY ethos is deeply rooted in the DNA of both the club and its community,” shares Lars Kreyenhagen, Founder & Executive Strategy Director. 

Visually, this DIY ethos has been embodied throughout the typeface. “The tape style is heavily influenced by the club’s community, its rebellious history, and the punks of the ’80s. Our use of OpenType features allows for a wide range of glyph variations, ligatures, and special characters, creating a diverse and inclusive typeface, reflecting FC St. Pauli’s commitment to openness and a society for all. A subtle yet meaningful detail is the ligature formed by the letters ‘O’ and ‘Z,’ which connects to the legacy of the graffiti artist Oz, who passed in 2014,” adds Kreyenhagen.

Creating the typeface presented its own set of challenges. “When a designer enters such a creative biotope as FC St. Pauli, ideas literally bubble up. Take the Hamburg district of St.Pauli with its edgy street vibe as an example,” Häusler explains. “Our challenge was to incorporate these ideas into a typeface family that is both everyday and practical, yet has a distinctive, strong character. And last but not least – it must be fun.” The result is a typeface suited for various media, from headlines, sublines and body text in print and digital to jerseys and merchandise.

Technical refinements were key to the design. “FC Sans Pauli is a typeface family where all cuts can be combined. The trained eye will also notice that the typeface is not simply slanted to the left, but that the individual glyphs have a slight rotation. This technical refinement is necessary to prevent the typeface from appearing tilted,” adds Häusler. With 13 styles ranging from Light to Bold, the typeface provides a versatile typographic toolbox that mirrors FC St. Pauli’s vibrant and diverse culture. Its extensive and inclusive Latin-S glyph set supports 100 additional languages, allowing the club to reach 200 million more speakers worldwide compared to its previous typeface.

The creation of the custom typeface is a significant milestone for the club, letting it further strengthen its independence both visually and economically. The club now owns the typeface, eliminating licensing fees and solidifying its unique branding across all communication touchpoints. “FC Sans Pauli further empowers this DIY spirit and provides the community with a strong identifier — something they can use and share,” adds Kreyenhagen. 

The feedback from the club and its fans has been overwhelmingly positive. “The typeface is already present in all fan media, from blogs and podcasts to various social media communities,” Fischer-Appelt shares. “FC St. Pauli is a brand we truly love. Being the sole design agency involved is a real honour.” By launching the typeface, FC St. Pauli continues to chart its own path, making a bold statement in both football and contemporary branding.