Man City’s New Third Kit Was Designed by a Fan Using AI
For the first time in professional football, a Premier League club is stepping onto the pitch this season wearing a kit that a fan built from scratch — using nothing but a written prompt and an AI tool.
Manchester City and PUMA have unveiled the club’s 26/27 third kit, and the design didn’t come from an in-house studio. It came from Elliott, a lifelong City supporter who created it on his lunch break using PUMA AI Creator, a generative design tool that turns text prompts into kit concepts in seconds.
“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,” Elliott said. “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.”
From 180,000 Entries to One Winning Design
PUMA AI Creator launched in December 2024 as a way to hand real creative input to fans — no design experience required, just an idea and a prompt. For this project, Manchester City opened the process to its entire global fanbase, and Cityzens in more than 200 countries responded: over 180,000 unique shirt designs were submitted.
The volume alone made it one of the largest fan-driven creative exercises football has seen. From there, the field narrowed fast — the community cast 1.7 million ratings on submitted designs, whittling the pool down to a final ten, before the winner went to a global fan vote.
Elliott’s design won. It’s a white base split by a central two-tone sash — half sky blue, half navy — running the length of the shirt with a subtle gradient that shifts as it catches the light.
“PUMA AI Creator represents a new way of thinking about how football kits are made and who gets to shape them,” said Dominique Gathier, PUMA’s Vice President of Teamsport. “The volume of entries we received speaks to the strength of the Manchester City fanbase, and the design that came through reflects that.”
Why This Matters Beyond One Kit
It’s not the first time PUMA and City have experimented with AI in kit design — a limited-edition goalkeeper kit designed by City players using the same AI Creator tool appeared on the pitch in 2025. But this is the first time an AI-assisted, fan-created design has gone from concept to an official on-pitch kit worn by the first team and sold to supporters worldwide.
“The relationship between the club and our fans is at the core of everything we do, and innovation is at the heart of our partnership with PUMA,” said Nuria Tarre, Manchester City’s Chief Marketing and Fan Experience Officer. “To be able to give fans the unique opportunity to be designers for a day and create one of our on-pitch kits this season, using the power of AI, is an extension of the deep connection that we have with our global fanbase.”
The Kit Itself
Beyond the design story, the kit brings genuine performance upgrades. The Authentic player jersey is built with PUMA’s ULTRAWEAVE fabric, a lightweight, precision-woven material designed for unrestricted movement at elite level, paired with dryCELL and ThermoAdapt technology to manage sweat and regulate body temperature. It’s made with at least 50% recycled material.
The Replica version, built for supporters rather than players, uses PUMA’s RE:FIBRE technology — 95% recycled polyester sourced from textile waste — while keeping the same match-worn look in a more casual cut for everyday wear.
Where to Buy It in South Africa
The 26/27 Manchester City third kit is available from 27 August 2026 at PUMA.com, PUMA Retail stores, Totalsports, Sportsmans Warehouse, Studio 88, and Takealot.
- Authentic player jersey: R2,499
- Replica jersey (adult): R1,499
- Replica jersey (junior): R1,199
For a supporter like Elliott, the price tag is almost beside the point. “City has been part of my life for as long as I can remember,” he said, “so to have designed a kit that will now be worn by the players is a genuine honour.”
