Our final review of the 2025/26 Premier League programmes sees us take a look at the issue from Manchester City. Read our full review below and click here to read all of our reviews for the season.
Manchester City’s programme benefits from high-quality design work and polished presentation, although it lacks the depth of content found in the league’s strongest offerings.
The best original feature within the programme is Five, Fifteen, Fifty, in which historian Gary James turns back the clock to look at the 2020/21, 2010/11, and 1975/76 seasons. James recounts City’s progress throughout those seasons, as well as selecting a Memory Match from one of those years. The piece includes several pictures from the time and also references the fortunes of City’s matchday opponents.
Another new feature this season is The Hundred from photographer Kevin Cummins, who selects his favourite 100 music related pictures from his archives, telling the story of how the picture came about. There are columns from former City favourite Mike Summerbee and City’s Club Commentator Alistair Mann, who pens Last Mann Standing. Each issue also features a six-page interview with a first-team player.
Opposition coverage is relatively limited. An opening feature introduces the visitors, supported by a club fact file and list of honours. Profiles of the manager and three key players are also included. Heroes Down the Decades has the potential to be a valuable addition, highlighting fan favourites from the 1960s through to the 2000s, but the feature is restricted to only brief summaries of each player. The section concludes with Back Beat, which reproduces an archive photograph linked to the day’s fixture.
Club coverage is handled well throughout. Alongside the manager’s column, In the City rounds up the latest news from around the club. Reports from recent matches combine written analysis with photography and full line-up details. The women’s team, under-21s, and under-18s are each given double-page spreads featuring interviews, results, fixtures, and match updates, while a three-page statistics section is devoted to the first team. There is also a page highlighting the work of City in the Community, the club’s charitable arm.
Presentation is one of the programme’s greatest strengths. Clean layouts, strong photography, and effective use of the club’s colours help create a polished and professional feel throughout. Although white text occasionally appears on coloured backgrounds, sufficient contrast is generally maintained to ensure good readability.
This is a solid rather than exceptional programme. Attractive design and comprehensive club coverage provide a strong foundation, but a limited range of original features and relatively shallow opposition coverage prevent it from challenging the Premier League’s leading publications.