# Manchester City unveil worker bee-inspired away kit for post-Pep Guardiola era

Manchester City have unveiled their new black-and-yellow away kit for the 2026/27 season as the club begins the post-Pep Guardiola era with a design inspired by one of Manchester’s most recognisable civic symbols.

The Premier League club revealed the strip during their pre-season tour of Hong Kong, offering supporters their first look at a shirt built around the image of the Manchester worker bee.

The emblem has long been associated with the city’s identity, resilience and working-class roots. It is placed at the centre of the new design, giving the worker bee a prominent role on one of Manchester City’s most significant recent kit releases.

City and their kit supplier, PUMA, worked with Manchester City Council to obtain approval for the use of the protected civic emblem.

The collaboration reflects the club’s desire to connect the team’s identity with the city it represents. PUMA said the shirt was created to highlight Manchester City’s relationship with Manchester while also capturing the energy created by the club’s travelling supporters during away matches.

The new strip will be available in two versions. The authentic match jersey will retail for R2,499, while the replica shirt will cost R1,499.

Manchester City chief marketing officer Nuria Tarre said the club wanted supporters around the world to feel a closer connection to Manchester through the design.

The worker bee is the latest Manchester symbol to feature prominently on a City shirt, continuing a series of kits that draw inspiration from the club’s home city. Its inclusion gives the 2026/27 away strip a particularly strong local identity as the club moves into a new era following Guardiola’s time in charge.

The shirt was launched as City prepare for the new campaign and marks the latest stage in the club’s long-running relationship with PUMA. Its black-and-yellow colour scheme, combined with the central civic emblem, is intended to give the kit a distinctive appearance while reflecting the character and heritage of Manchester.

The release also places the experiences of away supporters at the heart of the design. According to PUMA, the atmosphere produced by City fans on their travels was one of the influences behind the shirt, alongside the club’s broader connection with the city.

The worker bee has therefore been used not only as a visual feature, but also as a representation of the values associated with Manchester: identity, resilience and a strong connection to its working-class roots.

City’s new away kit follows earlier club releases inspired by Manchester, but the prominence given to the protected civic emblem makes this one of the most recognisable examples in recent years.

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