photo by: Sylas May/Journal-World

Sterling Anderson holds up a Lawrence United F.C. soccer scarf on Thursday, June 11, 2026, at Sunflower Outdoor and Bike.

Amid the throngs of soccer jerseys at this summer’s FIFA World Cup festivities, you might notice a few in pink, navy or green with iconic Lawrence names on the back — Langston Hughes, Lynette Woodard, James Naismith and more.

They’re from the “Lawrence United F.C.” project by local designers Tim Hossler and Lizzy Arnold, which is part of the City of Lawrence’s soccer-themed Unmistakable Public Art Exhibition. The soccer scarves and T-shirts are now on sale, and so far merchants say they’re pretty popular.

Previously, the designers told the Journal-World they wanted to pay tribute to Lawrence’s complex history, and they’ve built their project around a symbolic all-star team of Lawrence luminaries.

“Lawrence United F.C. reimagines the history of Lawrence, Kansas through the structure of a soccer club, assembling a team of historical figures into a selective and symbolic roster,” the artists said in a statement about the project.

photo by: Contributed

This image from the Lawrence United F.C. project shows people wearing the local history-themed soccer gear.

photo by: Sylas May/Journal-World

Lawrence United F.C. soccer scarves are displayed at Wonder Fair on Thursday, June 11, 2026.

The colorful scarves are available at Sunflower Outdoor and Bike and Wonder Fair in downtown Lawrence while supplies last. Each one features a crest in the classic style of a soccer club, with geometric features that nod to Lawrence’s history, geography and culture. At the bottom is an icon that can be read as either a rising or setting sun or a sunflower. And to acknowledge the game’s English origins, there are two unicorns, a classic beast in European heraldry; their tails form a stylized phoenix, a symbol of Lawrence’s past destruction and rebuilding.

At Wonder Fair early Thursday afternoon, a clerk wasn’t sure how many scarves had sold so far, but said they were popular and were selling quickly. The store began with 50 of them in stock, and a few were on display near the front entrance.

Over at Sunflower Outdoor and Bike, employee Sterling Anderson said people had come in asking about the gear. About half a dozen scarves had sold, he said, and he estimated around 15 were still available.

“So freaking cool,” he said as he unfolded one to show it off.

photo by: Sylas May/Journal-World

Sterling Anderson unfolds a Lawrence United F.C. soccer scarf on Thursday, June 11, 2026, at Sunflower Outdoor and Bike.

Though there were some shirts in the store at Sunflower on Thursday, Anderson said the shirts aren’t actually for sale there. They’re only available online at bonfire.com/store/lawrence-united-fc.

They’re styled after soccer jerseys. On the front, there’s a reference to the “TRY WRITING CURSIVE” message that’s painted atop a building in the 1000 block of Massachusetts Street. And on the back, each shirt has the name of a member of the team of historical figures with ties to Lawrence.

That includes vaudeville star George ‘Nash’ Walker, activist Erin Brockovich and naturalist Lewis Lindsay Dyche, among others. The goalie of this dream team is KU basketball great Wilt Chamberlain, and the manager? None other than John Brown.

photo by: Contributed

The backs of the Lawrence United F.C. shirts feature a dream team of figures from Lawrence history.

photo by: Sylas May/Journal-World

Lawrence United F.C. soccer scarves hang by the window of Sunflower Outdoor and Bike on Thursday, June 11, 2026.

photo by: Sylas May/Journal-World

Sterling Anderson holds up a Lawrence United F.C. shirt on Thursday, June 11, 2026, at Sunflower Outdoor and Bike.