Controversial Aston Villa 2026/27 home kit drops blue sleeves and launches without a sponsor
Villa and adidas opt for 1960s-inspired all-claret shirt and 'glow blue' shorts
Aston Villa and adidas have launched the club’s 2026/27 home kit to a mixed reception, just for a change.
Villa and their technical partner have aligned on some bold choices both major and minor in next season’s kit design. Supporters are divided, obviously, but the kit’s lasting impression will be defined by what the players achieve in it.
Nevertheless, let’s have a look at the new Villa shirt and its big fat adidas template shoulder stripes.
Villa’s new home shorts and socks are ‘glow blue’ – very pale blue – so 2026/27 will be an incredibly rare season in which Villa don’t wear white shorts at home. That’s where this sort of thing can get tricky. I think the shorts look superb with the shirt. I’m not sure that’s what really matters.
It chimes with the stated 1960s inspiration, though, so I have no major complaints in that regard. I’m all for doing something a bit different every few seasons and I’d bet a good chunk of change that the shorts are white again in 2027/28.
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That applies to the sleeves too. Villa moving permanently from a traditional claret body with light blue sleeves is not an option as far as I’m concerned but a full claret shirt every now and again is fine by me.
It’s noteworthy that there is no white, yellow or gold on this simplified Villa kit. The widened adidas stripes and performance logo are also glow blue, along with the sleeve cuffs and shirt collar, which I think is rather good in an era of outstandingly poor collars.
The absence of yellow is primarily explained by the monochrome club badge, which seems to be a point of contention for lots of supporters whose preference for the home shirt would be a full-colour version of the badge.
I agree in principle, but here’s the thing: Villa’s badge is an abomination. The yellow lion is dreadful and having drop shadow to separate a low-contrast splodge from a pale blue background is so laughable that I still can’t believe it’s real.
Anything that can be done to mitigate that should be done, in my view, and I prefer this execution even if it’s let down by the continuation of the drop shadow. It’s not needed here.
On balance, my first impressions are that I like the new kit more than I don’t. But we need to see it in action before deciding, really, don’t we?
What’s happening with Villa’s new sponsor?
Villa’s home kit has been launched sponsorless with a full photo shoot two days before it hits the racks at Villa’s club shops.
There are various possibilities here but it’s interesting that Villa have opted to push the kit out without a main sponsor. As far as we know, there’s no reason to expect the club to fail to secure a new primary partner.
If the shirt going on sale without a sponsor in May with a sponsor to come, why rush it out?
If there will be a sponsor in place tomorrow or on Thursday before the kit goes on sale, why shoot and launch without it?
It will all become clear in the days and weeks to come but the possible opportunity to buy a sponsorless shirt isn’t always the win it might appear. Some supporters like to buy a shirt without a brand smacked in the middle of it but there are lots who’d prefer to wear the same(ish) design as the players.
I don’t think there’s anything concerning happening but I’m very curious about the decisions behind the rollout.
More photos? More photos.
Villa’s new home shirt will be available from 9am on Thursday, May 28 at Villa Park, at the Bullring store, and online.
I'm old enough to remember people being outraged by the 93-94 kit and it's now the retro shirt most seen at VP. If I remember rightly there were a fair few moaning about the Luke one on release too.