Aston Villa have unveiled their new 2026-27 third kit, with adidas drawing inspiration from one of the most recognisable features of Villa Park for a design that gives supporters a new way to celebrate the club's famous home.
The sky-blue shirt features a graphic inspired by the distinctive mosaic patterns associated with the Holte End, while an illustration of the iconic stand appears on the back of the neck.
The design also incorporates Villa's traditional claret through the crew-neck collar, sleeve cuffs and adidas' Three Stripes across the shoulders.
The Holte End has been an important part of Aston Villa's identity since Villa Park opened in 1897. Named after Sir Thomas Holte, whose former estate included the land on which the stadium was built, the stand has become synonymous with the atmosphere generated by supporters on matchdays.
The new shirt therefore offers more than a change of colour from Villa's traditional home design, with the club and adidas using a key piece of stadium heritage as the inspiration for the latest addition to the 2026-27 collection.
New Aston Villa kit to make debut against Bayern Munich
Villa's men's team will wear the new third kit for the first time during their pre-season preparations, with Unai Emery's side scheduled to face Bayern Munich at Hong Kong's Kai Tak Stadium on August 7.
The fixture forms part of Villa's pre-season tour and will give supporters their first opportunity to see the new design being used by the players.
The kit follows Villa's recently unveiled 2026-27 home shirt, which adidas said was inspired by some of the club's more unconventional designs from the 1960s. That shirt features a claret base alongside glow-blue elements and uses adidas' CLIMACOOL+ technology.
The latest third kit continues the partnership's emphasis on combining modern performance technology with references to Villa's history.
Where Aston Villa supporters can buy the third kit
The new adidas x Aston Villa 2026-27 third kit is available to supporters through Villa's official stores, selected adidas retailers and the adidas website.
The club's official online store currently carries the wider 2026-27 range, while adidas has a dedicated Aston Villa third-kit section for supporters looking to purchase the latest merchandise.
The shirt's release also gives supporters the chance to own a piece of Villa Park history before the men's team begins its new campaign.
FGG Says: A clever way of connecting Aston Villa's past with the modern club
The decision to use the Holte End as the inspiration for the third kit is a clever way of connecting Aston Villa's past with the modern club.
Villa Park is more than simply the venue where the team plays its home matches, and the Holte End has a particularly strong place in the club's identity. Turning its distinctive visual character into a shirt design gives supporters a tangible reminder of that history.
It also makes the third kit feel more specific to Aston Villa rather than simply being another alternative strip. With the club continuing to grow under Emery and compete at the highest level in Europe, maintaining those links with Villa Park's traditions remains important.