The CSKA Moscow logo features a red five-pointed star atop a shield bearing the Cyrillic letters “ЦСКА” in a signature stepped arrangement, rendered in navy, blue, red, and white, representing the legendary “Red Army” hockey team.
The CSKA Moscow hockey logo is built around three iconic elements: a bold red five-pointed star, a shield-shaped crest, and the Cyrillic abbreviation “ЦСКА” arranged in a distinctive stepped pattern. The red star sits prominently at the top of the composition, symbolizing the team’s military origins and connection to the Russian Armed Forces. Below the star, a horizontal blue band caps the upper portion of a white shield outlined in dark tones. The letters “ЦСКА” are displayed in red, bold Cyrillic characters with a slight forward italic lean, arranged in the signature step formation that recalls the iconic team sweaters of the 1970s and 1980s. The navy (#18285f) and blue (#1f4285) tones provide institutional depth, while the red (#ec1c24) star and lettering project power and tradition. The shield form represents impenetrable defense, a fitting symbol for a team that dominated Soviet and Russian hockey for decades.
HC CSKA Moscow is one of the most storied hockey clubs in the world. The team was founded in 1946 as CDKA (Central House of the Red Army) and acquired its current name in 1960, with CSKA standing for “Central Sports Club of the Army.” Known in the West as the “Red Army” team, CSKA was a functioning division of the Soviet Armed Forces, which allowed it to conscript the best young players in the USSR. This system produced staggering dominance: CSKA won more Soviet championships and European cups than any other team. The club was among the founding KHL members in 2008 and plays at the CSKA Arena in Moscow.
Meaning and Symbolism
- Navy (#18285f): Provides institutional weight and authority, anchoring the crest with deep, traditional tones
- Blue (#1f4285): Complements the navy while adding the blue historically associated with Russian military and CSKA sports clubs
- Red (#ec1c24): The dominant accent color, carried in both the star and the ЦСКА lettering, connecting to the “Red Army” heritage and Soviet military tradition
- White (#ffffff): Forms the shield’s field, providing clarity and contrast for the red lettering
- Five-pointed star: A historic symbol of the army, victory, and Moscow, sitting atop the crest as the team’s defining mark
- Shield shape: Represents impenetrable defense and the team’s fortress-like competitive identity
- Stepped ЦСКА letters: A deliberate design choice recalling the legendary sweaters of the Tretiak-Kharlamov era
- Overall composition: Military tradition, championship pedigree, and institutional authority unified in a single crest
Design and History
The shield emblem was originally created for CSKA in the 1960s, establishing the star-and-shield format that has defined the club ever since. In 2017, Art Lebedev Studio redesigned the hockey identity, preserving the core elements dear to fans while modernizing the execution. At the heart of the update were the red and blue star and the CSKA letters in their signature step pattern, deliberately echoing the iconic jerseys of the 1970s-80s dynasty era when players like Vladislav Tretiak, Valeri Kharlamov, and the “KLM” line made CSKA feared worldwide. The shield was refined with two hockey sticks now emphasizing its shape, reinforcing the sport-specific context.
The Art Lebedev redesign also introduced CSKA’s first official mascot, a horse in the club’s signature colors, adding a modern brand element to the historic identity. The red-and-blue palette maintained continuity with the broader CSKA sports organization, which fields teams across multiple disciplines under the same military banner. For a team whose history spans from the Cold War era, through the famous 1972 Summit Series and the NHL exodus of the 1990s, to the modern KHL, the logo must carry extraordinary weight of tradition while functioning in contemporary sports marketing contexts.
Typography
The ЦСКА lettering is the typographic centerpiece of the logo, rendered in bold, blocky Cyrillic characters with a slight rightward italic that creates a sense of forward momentum. The stepped arrangement, where each letter sits at a different vertical position, is a distinctive design choice that has become inseparable from the team’s identity. This arrangement references the diagonal lettering patterns found on the club’s most famous jerseys and ensures the mark is instantly recognizable even without the star and shield.
FAQ
Q: What does CSKA stand for?
A: CSKA stands for “Tsentralny Sportivny Klub Armii” (Central Sports Club of the Army). The team is historically affiliated with the Russian Armed Forces and was known in the West as the “Red Army” team.
Q: Why is CSKA Moscow called the Red Army team?
A: During the Soviet era, CSKA was a division of the Soviet Armed Forces under the Ministry of Defence. Because all able-bodied Soviet males served in the military, the club could effectively draft the country’s best hockey players, creating a dynasty that dominated Soviet and European hockey for decades.
Q: Where is CSKA Moscow based?
A: CSKA Moscow is based in Moscow, Russia, competing in the Tarasov Division of the Kontinental Hockey League. They play at the CSKA Arena and are one of the most decorated hockey clubs in history.
More logos with similar colors