aesthetic cues that nod to Amsterdam’s rich 750-year story.

Following the home and away drops, the Ajax 25/26 third shirt from adidas continues the tribute to the Dutch capital, diving deep into the archives to bring forward a piece that balances heritage and modern minimalism. Cast in a soft beige base, the shirt draws its primary tone from an unexpected — yet strikingly poetic — source: the oldest known document referencing Amsterdam. That’s the 1275 toll privilege, granted by Count Floris V of Holland to the “people residing near the Amsteldam”. From parchment to pitch, this reference grounds the kit in civic pride.

Touches of blue and dark red thread their way through the kit’s detailing, injecting understated contrast while pulling from the city’s visual identity. The modern Ajax crest sits proudly on the chest, while a banner on the neck features a triptych of timelines: the founding year of 1275, the anniversary year 2025, and the city’s ever-iconic triple Saint Andrew’s Crosses — a motif that echoes across all three kits this season.

Inside the collar, a modern take on Amsterdam’s earliest city seal reinforces the historic core of the design, while a woven pennant detail on the upper back quietly continues the storytelling, grounding the shirt in both its footballing and civic context

The shirt design is essentially a wearable archive, a nod to where Ajax comes from and where the club fits within Amsterdam’s ongoing story. Heritage handled with care, adidas once again show how football kits can go beyond performance — becoming platforms for cultural expression and connection.