Kit archive
Manchester City's sky blue has been the constant through 140+ years of wildly shifting fortunes. From non-league origins to modern Premier League dominance, here's every era of the kit.
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Founded
1880
Most famous kit
1969 FA Cup-winning Umbro
Current manufacturer
Puma
Decade-by-decade breakdown of Manchester City’s home kit evolution, manufacturers, sponsors, and the stories behind each era’s most iconic shirts.
1880s–1950s
Founded as St. Mark's (West Gorton). Maroon for early years. Cambridge blue adopted in the 1890s and has stayed.
The early decades bounced through names (Ardwick, then Manchester City from 1894) and colours (maroon, then blue). The 1904 FA Cup-winning side cemented the sky blue identity.
1960s–1970s
1969 FA Cup winners in a classic sky-blue, white-shorts, sky-blue-socks Umbro home. Cult 1970s away kits.
City's late-60s to early-70s golden era. The Lee-Summerbee-Bell team won the league, FA Cup, League Cup, and Cup Winners' Cup. The kits were simple, timeless, and now highly collectible.
1980s
Saab (1982-85), Philips (1985-1987), Brother (1987-1999). Chest-band patterns, V-necks, pinstripe experiments.
A yo-yo decade between the top flight and the Second Division. The Brother sponsorship began in 1987 and ran for 12 years — long enough to become part of City's visual identity.
1990s
Brother sponsorship continues. Kappa arrives 1997 with the gold-on-blue pinstripe 1997-98. 1999-2000 home a fan favourite.
A wilderness decade culminating in relegation to the third tier in 1998 before a remarkable recovery. The 1999-2000 promotion-winning Kappa home is especially well-loved by fans who remember those dark years.
2000s
Sponsorship era continues: First Advice (2002-2004), Thomas Cook (2004-2007), Etihad (from 2009). Umbro produces 2011-12 title-winning home.
The Abu Dhabi takeover in 2008 began the modern era. The 2011-12 Umbro home is the kit of Sergio Agüero's 93:20 — a generation-defining shirt. Etihad's sponsorship began 2009 and continues.
2013–2026
Nike 2013-2019 produced several title-winning kits. Puma era from 2019 includes 2023 Treble-winning home. Recent kits lean into modern minimalism.
Guardiola's tenure has produced nearly every modern City kit. The 2017-18 Centurions home, the 2022-23 Treble-winning Puma, and the 2024-25 'City-tile' pattern are instant modern classics. Puma's deal is reportedly the club's biggest kit contract ever.
Puma has made City's kit since 2019-20 in a 10-year £65 million-per-year deal — their flagship football partnership.
City adopted Cambridge blue (now sky blue) in the 1890s, though the exact date and reason are debated. The colour has been the home kit's constant ever since.
The 1969 FA Cup-winning Umbro sky-blue home is the traditional classic. Modern contenders: the 2011-12 title-winning Umbro home (Sergio Agüero's 93:20 moment), and the 2023 Treble-winning Puma home.
Saab became City's first shirt sponsor in 1982.
Current and retro Manchester City shirts are widely available. For current kits, the official club store and major UK retailers stock them. For retro shirts (pre-2010), Classic Football Shirts has the best selection.
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