Manchester City and PUMA have unveiled their 2026/27 third kit, which the club says is the first professional football shirt designed by a fan using artificial intelligence.
The kit was officially revealed on Thursday as part of a three-day digital out-of-home campaign across Manchester, with billboards at Printworks and Market Street documenting the journey from an AI-generated concept to an official Manchester City shirt.
The design was created by lifelong Manchester City supporter and photographer Elliott, whose concept was selected from more than 180,000 entries submitted through PUMA’s AI Creator. The generative AI tool allows users to turn written prompts into football kit designs within seconds.
Elliott drew inspiration from Manchester City’s 2013/14 away shirt, with his design eventually selected in January 2025 following a global fan vote.
PUMA and Manchester City used the billboard campaign to showcase the different stages of the creative process. Tuesday’s execution featured a cryptic loading screen with only a partial view of the shirt, while Wednesday’s version displayed the message: “AI prompt accepted. Fan vote confirmed. Final Manchester City 26/27 Third Kit design processing.”
The campaign culminated on Thursday with the completed kit displayed across the Manchester locations alongside the slogan: “Designed by one of us. Chosen by all of us.”
Elliott said seeing his design displayed across Manchester was “unbelievable”, adding that the club had been part of his family’s life for as long as he could remember.
He also explained that photography naturally shaped his approach to the project, while the AI technology allowed him to experiment with a different form of creativity. His starting point was the 2013/14 away shirt before refining the concept into the final design.
The supporter described the prospect of seeing Manchester City players wear a shirt he designed during his lunch break as something he was still struggling to comprehend.
The launch represents a further step in the growing use of generative AI in sports merchandising and fan engagement, moving the technology beyond marketing content and into the design of official teamwear.
For PUMA and Manchester City, the project also provides a new model for involving supporters directly in the creation of commercial products, combining AI-generated design, fan voting and an official product launch.