Fallen Bundesliga champions banned from using OWN CREST and revert to badge from over 100 years ago in bitter legal row

1860 MUNICH have temporarily lost the rights to their iconic crest amid the club’s ongoing crisis that led to relegation to the fourth division. Munich are one of the most historic German clubs and one of the key founders of the Bundesliga in 1963 that won the title in 1966 as well as the Cup in 1942 and 1964. 1860 Munich have temporarily lost the rights to their iconic crest Credit: Getty Images – Getty 1860 Munich have found themselves embroiled in a legal row after dropping to the fourth division Credit: Getty Images – Getty However, the Lions have endured a dramatic fall from grace and it all started in 2004 when they were relegated from the top flight – they have since never returned. Munich have since found themselves lost in the wilderness as they spent 13 years in the second division and another eight in the third tier until their drop to the fourth category last season. Sign up for the Football newsletter Thank you! Now the once German giants have found themselves embroiled in a bitter legal row that doesn’t allow them to wear their own badge until further notice. According to Bulinews, the sudden change comes down to the merchandising rights that are still held by investor Hasan Ismaik’s company. Although Ismaik’s company still holds the rights to the name and logo, it is not permitted for commercial use purposes. Therefore, Munich had to find a solution and looked back at previous badges before landing on the most recent crest they wore before their suspended lion emblem. After some in-depth research, club chiefs announced the team will don an insignia they used over 100 years ago. Munich released the following statement: “Until the lion can once again be used without restrictions as the crest, the new operating company will temporarily use the historical FA crest. Most read in Football WORLD CUP 2026 FREE BETS AND SIGN UP OFFERS “As soon as the legal requirements are met, the lion will once again be used as the crest of TSV 1860 Munich. “In recent days, we have been frequently asked about the origin and meaning of the FA crest. “Therefore, we have asked the club history department for a historical overview. “According to research by Claus Melchior (club history department), the FA crest was first documented in 1919. “However, no definitive information about its exact origins is available to date. “Historical commemorative publications and team photos show that the lion has been the defining crest of the TSV 1860 Munich footballers since before the First World War. “The FA crest is part of the history of our football department and is therefore being used during the current transition phase.” Comment now