Barcelona, Manchester United, Real Madrid and More: Here Are 9 Top Clubs' First Shirt Sponsors and the Story Behind Them
Sponsors are one of the most important part of shirts and often make or break a design. However, until around 40 years ago shirt sponsors weren't a thing. In this post we want to take a look at nine top clubs from around Europe to see which was each one's first-ever jersey sponsor and the story behind them.
Check out Football Kit Archive to see all of these clubs' and more classic football shirts
Barcelona - Unicef
Having remained the last big club to keep the front of its kits free of any advertisements, Barcelona debuted with Unicef in 2008. Although this arrangement saw the club donate to the organization instead of receiving a fee in exchange for the shirt space, many people rightly assumed that the club was just trying to ease the transition to a commercial sponsor.
Qatar Foundation, another charity, replaced Unicef in 2011 before Qatar Airways took over in 2013 - and the rest is history.
Real Madrid - Otaysa
While not known to many, Real Madrid also long kept the front of their kits free from sponsors. It was not until 1991 that Real Madrid got their debut shirt sponsor - Otaysa.
Manchester United - Sharp
The King of Sponsorships of today, Manchester United fans had to wait until 1982 to see a sponsor logo on one of their club's kits for the first time. Electronics brand Sharp debuted that year and remained until 2000 when Vodafone took over.
Bayern Munich - Magirus Deutz
German clubs were among the first to explore the additional revenue steam of shirt sponsorships, with Eintracht Braunschweig widely believed to be the first club in the world to have a shirt sponsor (Jägermeister) in the late 1970s.
Bayern Munich's first sponsor, meanwhile, had shirt supplier Adidas on the front of the shirt form 1974 before it was replaced by Magirus Deutz, a manufacturer of trucks, in 1978.
Paris Saint-Germain - Montreal
Montreal supermarkets was PSG's first shirt sponsor ever, in the first season after the club split off from Paris FC. PSG started off in the third division and had not even adapted the trademark 'Hechter' design yet.
Liverpool - Hitachi
Japanese electronics brand Hitachi became the first-ever Liverpool FC shirt sponsor in 1979 and remained there until 1982, when Crown Paints took over.
Arsenal - JVC
Arsenal got their first jersey sponsor in 1981: it was JVC, another electronics maker, which would remain on the front of many legendary Arsenal shirts before being replaced by Dreamcast in '99.
Borussia Dortmund - Samson
Borussia Dortmund's first-ever shirt sponsor was Samson, a cigarette maker, in 1976. Instead of just displaying the name of the company on the chest, the Samson logo, a lion, also replaced the club initials from the logo.
Juventus - Ariston
Juventus also got their first shirt sponsor in the 1980s. It's Ariston, a manufacturer of heating solutions that still operates today.
Did you know the story behind all of these iconic shirt sponsors? Comment below.
Fujieda MYFC 26-27 Kits Released
Japanese J2 League club Fujieda MYFC have officially unveiled their new 2026-27 kits, produced by sportswear brand Gol. Designed under the theme "Merge," the new shirts symbolize the fusion of the ball, boots, players' spirit, fans, and partners uniting for the upcoming season. The collection features bespoke graphic patterns across the home, away, and goalkeeper jerseys, with sponsor logos cleanly integrated throughout the designs. The new Fujieda MYFC 2026-27 kits will be available to purchase starting in late June 2026 via the official J.League online store.
Matsumoto Yamaga 26-27 Home & Away Kits Released
Japanese J3 League club Matsumoto Yamaga FC have revealed their new 2026-27 home and away kits. The new Adidas Matsumoto Yamaga 2026-27 shirts introduce bespoke designs for the club.
Como 1907 Announce Kit Design Contest
Italian club Como 1907 has launched a new design contest, inviting fans and designers to create a new look for the team. While the official announcement asked supporters to design a t-shirt for Como, it is likely that the club is referring to a football kit, given the context of the post and the reactions from the fanbase.
The club has kept the instructions incredibly open, stating there is no brief, no rules, and no excuses. To enter the competition, fans simply need to create their design, post it on Instagram, and tag the official Como 1907 account.
The announcement has already sparked significant interest online, with numerous supporters sharing their concepts and ideas. Whether the winning design will be produced as an official match kit, a pre-match shirt, or a special edition lifestyle item remains to be seen, but it offers a unique opportunity for fans to leave their mark on the club's visual identity.
FIFA Denies Guillermo Ochoa 2026 World Cup Legacy Patch Over Appearance Rules
Guillermo Ochoa has been denied the chance to wear FIFA's new legacy patch at the 2026 World Cup. Despite being selected for six World Cup tournaments spanning from 2006 to 2026, the Mexican goalkeeper does not meet the strict criteria set by FIFA. The governing body requires players to have made on-pitch appearances in at least five different World Cups to qualify for the special badge.
Ochoa did not play any minutes during the 2006 and 2010 tournaments, meaning he has only registered on-pitch appearances in three World Cups prior to the 2026 edition. Because of this, FIFA officially refused to award him the patch. Other veterans playing in the tournament, such as Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Luka Modric, Manuel Neuer, and Yuto Nagatomo, have received the legacy patch for meeting the five-tournament appearance threshold.
The Mexican Football Federation is reportedly planning to push for a reconsideration of the ruling. If Ochoa features in a match during the 2026 tournament, the federation intends to appeal FIFA's decision in hopes of securing the legacy patch for the veteran goalkeeper.
Yokohama FC 26-27 Home & Away Kits Released
Japanese J2 League club Yokohama FC have officially released their new Puma 2026-27 home, away, and goalkeeper kits. The new Yokohama FC 26-27 shirts feature an abstract graphic design that represents flow and movement across all the jerseys. The home jersey is predominantly blue, while the away kit is white. The goalkeeper kits complete the collection in red and yellow colorways. The Puma Yokohama FC 2026-27 kits are available to purchase via the club's online store.
