Manchester City and PUMA have unveiled what they say is the first kit in professional football to be designed by a fan using AI, backed by a three-day digital billboard campaign across Manchester.
The Premier League club’s new 2026/27 third kit was created by lifelong City fan and stills photographer Elliot using PUMA’s AI Creator, a generative AI tool that turns written prompts into kit designs.
His design was selected from more than 180,000 entries submitted through the platform before being crowned the winner following a global fan vote in January 2025.
Inspired by Manchester City’s 2013/14 away shirt, the design has now been turned into the club’s third kit and will be worn by its players during the 2026/27 season.
The launch has been accompanied by a three-day digital out-of-home takeover at Manchester’s Printworks and Market Street, charting the process from AI prompt to finished shirt.
The campaign began on Tuesday with a cryptic “loading” screen and the shirt barely visible, followed on Wednesday by the message: “AI prompt accepted. Fan vote confirmed. Final Manchester City 26/27 Third Kit design processing.”
The finished design was revealed on the billboards on Thursday morning alongside the campaign line: “Designed by one of us. Chosen by all of us.”
Reacting to live images of the billboards, Elliot said: “Seeing my complete design revealed on billboards in the city centre this morning was unbelievable. City has been part of our family’s life for as long as I can remember, so this is as good as it gets for me.
“Creativity is naturally part of my everyday life as a photographer, but it was good to turn my hand to something else and see what could be created with the use of AI. The 13/14 away shirt was always my favourite, so it felt like the natural starting point for my prompt. From there, it was amazing to see the technology take that spark of an idea and turn it into something I could actually shape and refine.
“To know that a shirt I designed on my lunch break will now be worn by the players is something I still can’t quite get my head around!”
The 2026/27 Manchester City third kit is available from the club’s online shop and its stores at the Etihad Stadium, Manchester Arndale and Trafford Centre.
