Colombia's DIMAYOR Mandates Standard Helvetica Font for All Teams From 2027
Colombian football governing body DIMAYOR is set to introduce sweeping kit branding regulations starting with the 2027 Liga BetPlay season. An official circular distributed to professional clubs outlines strict new rules for shirt names, numbering, and sleeve badges. Most notably, the league will mandate Helvetica as the sole official typeface for player names and squad numbers across all participating teams, stripping clubs and kit manufacturers of the ability to use custom fonts. Big thanks to @cdfactoryco.
Beyond standardizing the typography, the regulations strictly govern visibility and colors. All names and numbers must appear either in solid black on light-colored kits or solid white on dark-colored kits, with no additional accent colors or outlines permitted. For shirts featuring stripes or graphic patterns, clubs must integrate a blank, single-tone rectangle measuring exactly 34 cm by 26 cm on the back to host the number. Player names must be positioned directly above the number with a font height between 5 cm and 7 cm, while DIMAYOR and competition sleeve badges will have designated dimensions and mandatory placement below club sponsor patches.
DIMAYOR is also putting an end to unconventional squad numbers. Players will only be allowed to wear consecutive integers from 1 up to the total number of registered squad members, outlawing high numbers such as 77, 88, or 99. The drastic move has sparked backlash among Colombian football fans and kit designers, who have criticized the choice of a standard office typeface and the loss of distinctive club identity on the pitch.
