Manchester City have unveiled their new third kit for the 2026/27 season, and it is certainly a break from the club’s usual look. The shirt is mainly white, with a bold combination of sky blue and navy running down the centre. The stripe has a gradient effect, while the familiar Puma logo, Manchester City crest and Etihad Airways sponsor complete the front. The kit is paired with navy shorts and white socks, giving the overall design a clean and modern feel. What makes the jersey particularly interesting, though, is the story behind its creation. The kit was launched through the FC’s official X handle where they posted a video with the caption, “Made by one of us. Chosen by all of us”
Introducing the @pumafootball x Man City 26/27 Third Kit. Designed by a fan using PUMA AI Creator. From hundreds of thousands of entries, Cityzens chose the winner.”
The design came through Puma’s AI Creator initiative, which gave Manchester City fans the chance to put forward their own kit ideas. The response was huge, with almost 180,000 designs reportedly submitted by supporters from around the world. Ten designs were eventually shortlisted before the winning concept was turned into the official third kit. Puma has since refined the original fan-created idea into the finished jersey, adding details such as the gradient around the central stripe and subtle “CITY” branding on the sleeve cuffs. The result is a kit that not only looks different but also carries a direct connection to the club’s supporters. The 2026/27 third kit is available from August 27.
“It’s the first of its kind”: Manchester City fan opens up after designed kit gets launched by Football club
Manchester City have unveiled their 2026/27 third kit, with the new design standing out not only for its unusual appearance but also for the way it was created. The shirt is predominantly white and features a striking central two-tone sash running down its length, combining sky blue and navy. What makes the launch particularly distinctive is that the design was created by a City fan using Puma’s AI Creator before eventually being selected to become an official match kit.
The fan designer, Elliott, described the opportunity as a dream come true, saying, “City has been part of my life for as long as I can remember, so to have designed a kit that will now be worn by the players is a genuine honour. I’ve always loved football shirts and design, and I created mine using Puma AI Creator on my lunch break, never imagining it could actually become a City kit. The whole experience has been incredible, from seeing people react to the design to seeing it on the players for the first time when I was invited to the kit shoot. It still feels surreal to know I’ve played a small part in the club’s history, and I hope it becomes a kit that City fans love and look back on for years to come.”
