Man City Selects Fan AI Kit Design for 2026-27 Third Shirt
Manchester City supporters submitted more than 180,000 artificial intelligence-generated kit designs before the Premier League club selected a concept created by a fan named Elliott to wear as their third shirt during the 2026-27 season, according to reporting by ESPN.
The announcement marks a unique shift in football merchandise design, blending modern machine learning tools with traditional fan engagement. According to ESPN, the club partnered with kit manufacturer Puma to launch the massive crowdsourcing initiative, inviting fans worldwide to input prompts into specialized AI design tools.
From 180,000 AI Concepts to a Premier League Kit
Out of the staggering volume of entries generated through digital prompts, club officials and design teams sifted through the digital concepts to find a viable matchday aesthetic. The winning design, submitted by a supporter named Elliott, made the cut over hundreds of thousands of automated alternatives. According to ESPN, the resulting strip will be worn by Pep Guardiola’s squad across select domestic and European fixtures during the 2026-27 campaign.
Puma’s involvement ensured the algorithmic outputs met professional manufacturing standards and Premier League regulatory requirements. While clubs routinely use fan feedback for commemorative merchandise or training wear, integrating fan-driven artificial intelligence concepts directly into an elite team’s outfield rotation represents a novel approach in top-flight European football.
Context and Commercial Rollout
The rollout of the artificial intelligence-designed third strip comes as major sportswear brands increasingly experiment with digital tools to capture younger, tech-savvy demographics. According to ESPN, the collaboration highlights a growing willingness among elite clubs to bypass traditional in-house design monopolies in favor of open-source digital creativity.
Further details regarding the official retail release date and the specific match scheduled for the kit’s on-field debut will be announced by the club in due course.