All 20 Premier League third kits for the 2025/26 season have been ranked from worst to best
Benjamin Sesko of Manchester United applauds the fans with his team-mates at the end of the Premier League match between Brentford and Manchester United at Brentford Community Stadium on September 27, 2025 in Brentford, United Kingdom.
The Manchester club's third kits have been met with various fan reception
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Manchester football fans will be extremely familiar with their club's 2025/26 kit releases. From the bright, bold reds of United's home kit to the blue and white striped version in City's locker, there's something for every fan in the city.
But what about those rarely-seen third strips? This year has seen the release of some real gems - but also a few absolute howlers.
Both City and United released their alternative kits to widely different fan receptions, but who is reigning supreme over the other in this table?
Here, Manchester Evening News has ranked all of the Premier League 2025/26 third kits.
20th - Manchester City
The City third kit was designed with the delightful Mancunian weather in mind. With a neon trim and unusual rain droplet design, this shirt has been heavily criticised by fans and rivals alike.
Erling Haaland of Manchester City reacts during the Premier League match between Aston Villa and Manchester City at Villa Park on October 26, 2025 in Birmingham, England.
Manchester City's third kit has been heavily criticised(Image: Ed Sykes/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images)
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The brightness of the neon paired with the dreary grey rain background has landed City at the bottom of the table - somewhere they are definitely not used to in recent years.
19th - Brentford
The Bees' third kit features a bright blue background with a brown and pink stripe across the chest of the top. The club's badge is centred in the middle of the chest with just a small brown and pink trim at the collar of the shirt.
Fabio Carvalho of Brentford scores his team's fourth goal from the penalty spot during the Carabao Cup Fourth Round match between Grimsby Town and Brentford at Blundell Park on October 28, 2025 in Grimsby, England.
Brentford's kit is unusual and not in a good way
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While the club's original colours are featured in this rare shirt, the placement of said hues do nothing to flatter the wearer and are rather mismatched across the entire design.
18th - Brighton
Brighton had the clever idea to curb the overconsumption of football merchandise by using last season's away kit as this year's third kit.
The away kit, which has been sported numerous times over the past year, features a yellow design with black vertical stripes and the club's badge prominently displayed on the chest.
Mats Wieffer of Brighton & Hove Albion celebrates his team's third goal, scored by Danny Welbeck (not pictured) during the Premier League match between Chelsea and Brighton & Hove Albion at Stamford Bridge on September 27, 2025 in London, England.
Brighton have reused last season's away kit
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Although not unattractive, this kit is a carryover from last season, hence its low ranking.
17th - Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham's third kit for the current season pays tribute to the 1982 FA Cup winning team, boasting a vibrant yellow base with blue detailing around the chest and shoulders, giving it a nostalgic feel.
Tottenham Hotspur third kit.
Spurs' kit is reminiscent of the 1990s(Image: Tottenham Online Store)
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However, the retro design is juxtaposed with new sponsors and a vanishing neckline, as well as an unexpected blue colour block on the back, making it seem like a failed attempt at reviving an old classic.
£84.99 - BUY IT HERE.
16th - Bournemouth
Bournemouth's 2025/26 third kit is a pastel pink ensemble with purple accents. Pink kits have been associated with success in the Cherries' recent history.
Marcus Tavernier of Bournemouth crosses the ball during the Premier League match between Aston Villa and Bournemouth at Villa Park on November 09, 2025 in Birmingham, England.
Bournemouth's kit is simple and clean
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They famously triumphed over teams such as Newcastle and Crystal Palace away in the 2015/16 season, securing their place in the Premier League as fellow Championship jumpers Leicester City clinched the title that same year.
Its relatively basic design prevents it from ranking higher on the list.
15th - West Ham United
West Ham United's Jarrod Bowen during the Premier League match between Sunderland and West Ham United at Stadium of Light on August 16, 2025 in Sunderland, England.
West Ham changed their badge design
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West Ham's alternative kit offers a fresh spin on a rather plain classic. The badge is magnified and only features the two iconic hammers that are synonymous with the club.
Aside from this unique feature, the rest of the shirt is fairly standard, with gold accents and a split collar.
£67.50 - BUY IT HERE.
14th - Newcastle
Newcastle United's Harvey Barnes celebrates scoring his side's first goal during the Premier League match between Brentford and Newcastle United at Gtech Community Stadium on November 9, 2025 in Brentford, England.
Newcastle have also paid homage to their past
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Newcastle's kit harks back to their European escapades in the late 1990s. The strip, featuring a navy blue base with orange highlights, draws inspiration from their 1997 Champions League season.
This season saw memorable victories such as a 3-2 win against Barcelona and a 2-0 triumph over Dynamo Kyiv. However, it's not particularly remarkable, hence its mid-table position on this list.
13th - Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest third kit.
Nottingham Forest have went basic with their design(Image: Nottingham Forest Online Store)
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Nottingham Forest have embraced the Adidas trend of slim bars down the sides of the kit, reminiscent of the iconic strips from the 90s. This third shirt sports a navy blue and black design with red hems, creating a smart colour contrast.
However, like many of the mid-table kits, it's not exactly a showstopper.
12th - Everton
Thierno Barry of Everton during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Everton at Etihad Stadium on October 18, 2025 in Manchester, England.
Everton have went out of the box with their third kit
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Everton took a more unconventional approach with their third kit design, which stands out among the rest - but not necessarily for the right reasons. The black base features yellow and blue zigzag patterns running horizontally across the entire top, said to be inspired by the areas surrounding the new Hill Dickinson Stadium.
While it's commendable that the Toffees have been more adventurous with their third kit design, the choices made leave much to be desired.
£48 - BUY IT HERE.
11th - Leeds United
Noah Okafor of Leeds United during the Premier League match between Brighton & Hove Albion and Leeds United at Amex Stadium on November 01, 2025 in Brighton, England.
It's giving midnight rave in Leeds
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Leeds United have certainly taken a gamble with their alternative strip. The blue, yellow and black design, crafted by Adidas, is said to reflect the vibrant home support at Elland Road.
The kit gives off more of a rave or DJ vibe than a football strip, but kudos must be given for the creativity of the design.
£45.50 - BUY IT HERE.
10th - Crystal Palace
Yeremy Pino of Crystal Palace celebrates scoring his team's third goal with teammates during the Carabao Cup Fourth Round match between Liverpool and Crystal Palace at Anfield on October 29, 2025 in Liverpool, England.
Crystal Palace have went traditional with their alternative shirt
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FA Cup victors Crystal Palace have returned to basics with their third strip, which is unfortunate not to rank higher on this list. The red and blue stripe straight down the middle, along with one red and one blue sleeve topper, is visually pleasing and a stylish choice.
The only thing that detracts from this kit is the number of sponsors on the sleeves and front of the shirt, which spoil the look. A version without sponsors would climb about five places in this list alone.
9th - Aston Villa
Melle Meulensteen of Go Ahead Eagles, Ollie Watkins of Aston Villa battle for the ball during the UEFA Europa League 2025/26 League Phase MD3 match between Go Ahead Eagles and Aston Villa FC at Adelaarshorst on October 23, 2025 in Deventer, Netherlands.
Aston Villa's design is really interesting
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Aston Villa's alternative kit has echoes of the Japan cherry blossom jersey. The shirt is reportedly inspired by stained glass windows and features a white base with shades of blue and purple across the shoulders.
The long-sleeved version is far cooler than the short sleeve and is a rather nice one in this list.
£59.50 - BUY IT HERE.
8th - Wolves
Hugo Bueno of Wolverhampton Wanderers reacts during the Premier League match between Fulham and Wolverhampton Wanderers at Craven Cottage on November 01, 2025 in London, England.
Does anybody else fancy a pint and some small plates?
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Does anyone else get Wetherspoons plate vibes here? The Wolves third kit is quite a sight, but it is a beautiful shade of ocean blue.
This design is reportedly inspired by the vibrancy and spirit of Brazil, with fans eagerly anticipating some tiki-taka skills on the pitch soon.
7th - Burnley
Loum Tchaouna of Burnley during the pre-season friendly match between Burnley and SS Lazio at Turf Moor on August 09, 2025 in Burnley, England.
Burnley is one of a few blacked-out kits this season
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Starting at seventh place, there's a trend that black kits automatically receive a major pass.
Burnley's third kit bears resemblance to another on this list but ranks one spot lower due to the unusual gold specks adorning the shoulder and hip of the shirt.
It's an intriguing kit but not quite special enough to ascend further in the rankings.
£48 - BUY IT HERE.
6th - Fulham
Fulham third kit.
The Fulham kit is plain but very well-designed
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Next up, we have the other black-and-gold kit on this list. Fulham's alternative strip is sleek and modern, featuring a black base with gold piping around the edges of the top.
While it's simple, it does the job and could be interchanged with any other club's badge without a hitch.
5th - Chelsea
Chelsea's Reece James applauds the fans at the final whistle during the Premier League match between West Ham United and Chelsea at London Stadium on August 22, 2025 in London, England.
The collar is the most unique part of this third kit
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A shirt with a collar as unique as this earns its fifth-place ranking. The Chelsea third kit is a middle badge, blacked-out piece of beauty.
The white neck trim, mimicking a wide collar, is perhaps the most intriguing part of the strip and elevates it higher on the list than initially anticipated.
£84.99 - BUY IT HERE.
4th - Liverpool
Dominik Szoboszlai of Liverpool reacts following his side's defeat following the Premier League match between Brentford and Liverpool at Gtech Community Stadium on October 25, 2025 in Brentford, England.
Liverpool's third kit is a unique offering
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Many might be surprised that this kit isn't ranked higher given the fan reaction. The Liverpool alternative top is a bright blue-green colour and features a vintage club badge that beautifully complements the shirt.
The long-sleeved version is decidedly more attractive than the short-sleeve, hence it loses points for that reason.
£52 - BUY IT HERE.
3rd - Arsenal
Gabriel Magalhaes of Arsenal celebrates at full time during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Arsenal at Old Trafford on August 17, 2025 in Manchester, England.
Arsenal rarely miss with their kit releases
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Arsenal seldom disappoint when it comes to kit launches and the 2025/26 season is no exception. This third kit is designed to commemorate 20 years since Arsenal's final season at Highbury and features an alternative badge.
Sporting just the iconic cannon of the Gunners, this kit is white with a traditional collar and red accents, with a touch of gold subtly incorporated.
£85 - BUY IT HERE.
2nd - Manchester United
Bruno Fernandes of Manchester United during the Premier League match between Brentford and Manchester United at Brentford Community Stadium on September 27, 2025 in Brentford, England.
Manchester United just miss out on top spot
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Manchester United may be experiencing some turmoil on the pitch, but their kits always seem to impress. The Red Devils' third shirt pays tribute to the iconic 1993-95 away shirt, also known as the 'Cantona Kit'.
The black-out kit with blue and yellow trims gives the top a modern look and is finished with the original Adidas trefoil badge.
£56.95 - BUY IT HERE.
1st - Sunderland
Lutsharel Geertruida of Sunderland acknowledges the fans following the Premier League match between Crystal Palace and Sunderland at Selhurst Park on September 13, 2025 in London, England.
Sunderland have taken the crown
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And finally, we have a kit truly worthy of its title. Sunderland have recently returned to the Premier League but are making waves both on the pitch and in their kit releases.
The third kit features 11 mandalas interwoven into the blacked-out base, with a unique black cat emblem used as the club badge.
Perhaps the most striking part of this kit is the pair of amber cat eyes on the back of the neck of the top, intended to symbolise past battles and focus on the future.