Puma to drop sleeve branding from Man City kits as financial verdict clouds their league future

Manchester City’s kits will carry a slightly altered look from the 2027/28 season after Puma announced it is scrapping sleeve branding across all clubs it supplies, retaining only its logo on the front of shirts. The change affects every Puma-kitted club, not just City, and marks the end of the iconic cat emblem that has featured on sleeves since the early 2000s.

The timing adds an extra layer of intrigue for City supporters. The club were found guilty last month of 114 infractions of Premier League financial regulations, with the alleged breaches spanning the period between 2009 and 2018. City are appealing the verdict, which was delivered by an independent panel, and a final decision is not expected until early 2027 — meaning the new-look Puma kits could theoretically be worn in the Championship or lower down the EFL pyramid if the appeal fails.

Speculation over potential punishments has been widespread among fans and pundits. Proposed sanctions range from transfer embargoes and heavy fines at the more lenient end, to expulsion from the Premier League, substantial points deductions, and the stripping of titles won during the nine-year window in question at the more severe end. No formal punishment has been handed down while the appeals process continues.

On the pitch, City have shown little sign of distraction. Enzo Maresca’s side returned from the international break in October with a 3-0 victory over Liverpool at Anfield, before suffering a 4-2 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in Europe. They responded with a 3-2 win over Ipswich Town in the Premier League the following Saturday.