VfB Stuttgart has unveiled its new away kit for the UEFA Champions League with a special retro design. The kit honors fans from the former DDR and commemorates a 1988 UEFA Cup match against Banyasz Tatabanya, as the club announced on Monday.
The team recently distributed the full kit set to fans in the away section in Hungary. This act was a tribute to the VfB supporters from East Germany who backed the team back then. New board member for marketing and sales Karsten Petry (51) stressed the significance. "These kits represent far more than our participation in the UEFA Champions League," Petry said. "They connect an extraordinary chapter of our club's history with our future on the European stage."
The design recalls the moment of a 1988 UEFA Cup match against Banyasz Tatabanya. After that game, the players handed their shirts to the fans present. This act of solidarity left a lasting mark. Nearly forty years later, the club is bringing this piece of history back. Tobias Röschl, involved in the design, stated: "The fact that the team passed on their kits to the fans after the game back then stands for exactly the closeness and community that make football."
With the retro look, this identity is now made visible on Europe's top stage. Club legends like Guido Buchwald (65) and Günther Schäfer (64) are associated with the tribute. The late groundskeeper Jochen Seitz (†77), who supported the DDR fans at the time, is also remembered.
The new home and away kits for the Champions League have been available in VfB shops since Monday. An adult jersey costs 99.99 Euro. The children's version is priced at 79.99 Euro. With the sale, the club hopes fans will carry the tradition into the next generation of European nights.
The launch comes during a challenging sporting phase. VfB Stuttgart currently sits in 18th place in the Bundesliga with 0 points from one match. The record shows one goal scored, five conceded, and a goal difference of -4. In the table, the club is three points behind leaders Bayern Munich.
The injury list is a factor in the difficult start. Currently sidelined are goalkeeper Dennis Seimen, midfielder Leo Sauer, defender Lorenz Assignon, defender Luca Jaquez, and attacker Chris Führich. Their return is urgently needed for the upcoming tasks. The current squad status can be tracked on our injuries page.
Despite the bumpy start to the Bundesliga season, focus is also turning to Europe. The retro kit is intended to serve as a unifying element. Petry added: "Together forward, we carry the tradition of our club into the next generation of European nights." The next opportunity to earn points in the Bundesliga comes on September 4, 2026, in a home match against 1. FC Köln, who currently sit in 6th place. The match is part of a demanding early phase, which can be viewed on our fixtures page.
