The First Minister of Wales, Eluned Morgan, has presented a commemorative Newport County football shirt to the Bilbao team Athletic Club, during a visit to the Basque Country today.
The red and white striped VX3 x Lover’s F.C kit, launched by Newport County for the 2025–26 season in Athletic Club’s famous colours, celebrates the longstanding links between the two cities.
Newport’s historic links with Bilbao originate from the settlement of 56 Basque children in Caerleon, just outside Newport, during the Spanish Civil War in 1937.
The children were supported by members of the local community, including Maria Fernandez, a Bilbao-born resident of Wales who played a significant role in their care.
The commemorative shirt features the names of the children and the adults who cared for them. The shirt also has a label that sums up the spirit of the collaboration: “In 1937, when the Basque people needed help, Wales responded.”
Football formed part of the children’s activities during their time in Newport, leading to the establishment of Basque Boys FC, who played fixtures across Wales. Several Basque FC players went on to become professional footballers in Spain.
The First Minister’s visit highlighted the wider historical ties between Wales and the Basque Country, following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Welsh and Basque governments yesterday (Thursday 8th January 2026).
First Minister Eluned Morgan said:
“Football has a special way of bringing people from all parts of the world together. I’m delighted that the two clubs have carried on this connection through the shirt, which reminds us of the values Wales and the Basque Country share.
“The long‑standing bond between Newport and Bilbao is a remarkable story of solidarity and friendship, and I’ve been struck by how warmly Athletic Club speaks about this collaboration. The recognition of the generosity shown by the people of Wales nearly a century ago is a reminder of the enduring links between Euskal Herria and Cymru, ties that these two teams celebrate and carry forward.”
Creative Director at Newport County FC, Neal Heard, who was the concept developer and story teller behind the kit, said:
“It’s an absolute honour and fitting completion for the First Minister to hand deliver our commemorative shirt to Athletic Club. The shirt was dreamt up as a way of celebrating and honouring not only the links of friendship and solidarity between the two cities and clubs themselves, but the deep historical ties between the two nations. We, as a club, are very proud the kit has captured the imagination of so many people across the globe and hope this is just the start of cementing relations between both the two clubs and nations too.”
