Sponsors play an important role in grassroots football. Their support can help clubs cover the cost of new kits, equipment and other essentials, while giving local businesses the opportunity to support their community.
Once you’ve found a sponsor, the next step is making sure their logo works on your shirt.
Sponsor placement isn’t just about filling an empty space. The position, size and colour of each logo can change how the whole kit looks. Get it right, and your sponsors stand out without impacting your club identity. Get it wrong, and even a great design can start to feel crowded.
This is why sponsorship should be considered from the start of the football kit personalisation process. Your badge, colours, pattern and sponsor logos should work together as one complete design, with every position agreed before production begins.
Where Can Sponsor Logos Be Placed on a Football Kit?
Most sponsor logos appear on the front, sleeves or back of the shirt. Each area offers different visibility, and the right position will depend on the sponsor, the design and any competition rules your club needs to follow.
Front of the Shirt
The front of the shirt is usually the main sponsorship position. It sits in the centre of the kit and gets more visibility during matches, in squad photos and across social media. This makes it a natural choice for your main sponsor.
The logo still needs to feel like part of the design, though. It shouldn’t overpower the club badge or cover the features that make your shirt distinctive. The width, shape and colours all need to complement the rest of the kit.
A bigger logo isn’t always a clearer logo either. Good spacing and strong contrast can make a carefully sized design much easier to spot. Think about the shape of the artwork too. A wide sponsor name might sit neatly across a plain chest panel, while the same logo could be difficult to read over stripes, gradients or detailed patterns.
Sleeves
Using the sleeves gives your club an extra sponsorship opportunity without taking over the front of the shirt. This position works particularly well for supporting partners. Your main sponsor can keep the most prominent position, while another local business still receives valuable exposure.
Sleeve logos are often visible in close-up match photos, team celebrations and social content. They might be smaller than the main sponsor, but they can still provide worthwhile recognition.
The key is restraint. Branding on both sleeves can work, but it might make the upper section of the kit feel too busy when combined with shoulder patterns, manufacturer details and the club badge. Sometimes one well-placed sleeve sponsor creates a better final result than trying to use every available area.
Back of the Shirt
The back of the shirt can provide another useful position for secondary sponsors. A logo might sit above the player name, below the number or towards the lower back. Which option works best will depend on the design and the details already being added to the kit.
Names and numbers should still be clear, so sponsor branding shouldn’t make them difficult to read. Look at the full back design before approving anything. A logo might seem well positioned on an empty shirt, but the balance can change once you add a longer player name, a large squad number and other required details.
The best layouts give every element room to breathe.
How Do You Choose the Best Position for a Sponsor Logo?
There’s no single “best” position that works for every club.
The right choice depends on how many sponsors you have, what each business has contributed and where the kit is most likely to be seen. It also depends on the design of the shirt; a simpler design might have more space for logos than one with bold panels or an all-over pattern. A few practical questions can help you make the decision.
Where Will People See the Kit?
Matchday visibility is important, but it’s only part of the picture. Your sponsors can also appear during:
- Training sessions
- Team presentations
- Tournament days
- End-of-season events
- Squad photographs
- Social media posts
- Community activities
Social content is particularly important. A logo that looks perfectly clear on a physical shirt might be harder to recognise in a team photograph viewed on a phone. Fine text, long straplines and detailed graphics can disappear at smaller sizes.
Also consider how the logo looks from across the pitch as well as close up. Sponsors want their business to be recognised, not simply included.
Does the Design Still Feel Like Your Club?
Your kit should represent your team first and foremost. The badge, club colours and main pattern should be clear, even when several sponsors are included. The logos should complement the design rather than take over.
Colour can make a big difference. With the sponsor’s approval, a single-colour version of their logo may sit better on the kit than the full corporate artwork. A white logo might stand out clearly against a dark shirt, for example. The important thing is to protect the sponsor’s identity while making sure the branding works with your colours.
Spacing is key too. Leaving enough room around the badge and logos helps each part stand out. When everything is tightly packed together, no element gets the attention it deserves.
Does the Position Reflect the Sponsorship?
Different positions on a shirt can become part of different sponsorship packages.
Your main partner might get the front of the shirt, while supporting businesses are offered sleeve or back positions. This gives each sponsor a clear level of visibility and makes the value of the partnership easier to see.
Agree these details early. Sponsors should know where their logo will appear, how large it will be and whether their branding will also feature elsewhere. This clarity helps everyone start the partnership with the same expectations.
How Do You Include Multiple Sponsors Without Overcrowding a Football Kit?
More sponsors can mean more support for your club, but without a clear plan, their logos can quickly compete for attention. Before long, the kit starts to look like a collection of branding rather than something created for your club and your squad.
A simple sponsorship hierarchy can solve this. Give the main sponsor the strongest position. Then use the sleeves or back for supporting businesses. The relative size of each logo can also reflect the level of the agreement.
Don’t forget that you can spread sponsorship across other garments. One partner might appear on the match shirt, while another features on training tops, tracksuits or warm-up wear. This gives businesses meaningful exposure without placing every logo on one item.
During the design process, keep checking what the shirt looks like as a whole. Your colours, pattern and badge should still be easy to see. If these elements are getting lost, the kit probably needs simplifying to protect your club identity.
Making the Club Badge and Sponsor Logos Work Together
Your club badge is the most important visual feature on the shirt. It carries history, identity and belonging, and should be the most meaningful part of the design.
The traditional chest position usually separates the badge from the main sponsor, but the front of the shirt can still become crowded. A manufacturer mark, shoulder graphics and an oversized central logo can all compete for space.
To create a balanced design, there should be clear visual order. The badge should be immediately recognisable, and the sponsor logos should enhance rather than distract from club identity. An experienced football kit manufacturer can test different layouts and help you balance sponsor requirements with a design that still feels unmistakably yours.
What Should Clubs Consider Before Printing Sponsor Logos?
Getting the details right before football kit printing protects both your club and its sponsors. A spelling mistake, outdated logo or incorrect colour can delay production and be difficult to correct once the kit has been made. Before approving the final design, check the following:
Confirm the Logo Artwork
Ask each sponsor for a current, approved logo rather than copying an image from a website or social media page. High-quality files will help the branding stay recognisable when resized, while low-resolution artwork can appear blurred on the finished shirt. It’s also worth checking whether the sponsor has rules around branding that need to be followed.
Approve the Placement
Review the complete shirt rather than looking at each logo separately. Check the size and position of each logo alongside the shirt colours, pattern, club badge, player names and numbers. Everyone involved should agree on the final mock-up before production begins, including the sponsor where appropriate.
Plan for Future Orders
Think about how a new sponsor or updated branding could affect future replacement orders. Keeping copies of the approved artwork and final layout will make repeat orders easier and help the whole squad maintain a consistent appearance.
Are There Rules Around Sponsor Logos on Football Kits?
Your football kit design might need to meet rules set by a league, competition or governing body. These can cover:
- Where advertising can appear
- How many sponsors are permitted
- The maximum size of a logo
- Restrictions on certain sponsor categories
- Rules for junior or youth teams
The exact rules can vary between competitions, so check them before approving the final design. This is especially important when a sponsor has already been promised a particular position. Finding out later that it isn’t permitted could mean changing your agreement.
Speak to your league or competition organiser if anything is unclear. A knowledgeable kit supplier can also help you understand common requirements and flag potential issues during the design process. The earlier you check, the easier it is to make the right call.
Finding the Right Sponsor for Your Club
Before you can decide where the logo goes, you need the right business behind it.
Finding sponsors can be time-consuming, especially when club volunteers are already handling fixtures, registrations, training and everything else that keeps a team moving. Kit Funder helps grassroots clubs connect with local businesses that want to support their community. For clubs, it offers a smarter route to kit funding. For sponsors, it creates a direct connection with an active and loyal local audience.
This means less time chasing businesses and more time focusing on your squad. Once a partnership is agreed, you can start planning how the sponsor will appear on the kit and give its branding the recognition it deserves.
Creating a Professional Custom Football Kit With Sponsor Logos
Successful football shirt customisation brings club identity, sponsor visibility and practical design choices together. Nothing should look like it was added at the last minute.
With My Club Group, your squad can create a bespoke kit built around your unique identity. Add your colours, badge, sponsor logos, player names and numbers to a design your whole team will be proud to wear. Every detail is fully sublimated, which means it stays sharp without cracking, peeling, or feeling heavy on the shirt.
Sponsor logos play an important role in helping grassroots clubs fund their kit, but placement is key. The right design should give sponsors visibility while keeping the kit looking professional. With careful planning around logo positions, sizes and overall balance, clubs can create a football kit that works for players, supporters and sponsors.
Ready to create a custom football kit with every sponsor in the right place? Explore My Club Group’s bespoke football kits or get in touch today to start designing your squad’s next look.
