Peruvian club Deportivo Municipal, a four-time national champion from Lima, was relegated to the amateur level due to serious financial problems and found itself on the brink of collapse.
As reported by İdman.Biz, the club responded to the crisis by launching an unusual fundraising campaign aimed at financing the men's team's participation in the third tier, supporting the women's team in the second division and continuing the development of its academy.
Instead of placing several large advertising blocks on the team's shirt, Deportivo Municipal divided the kit into 1,000 small sponsorship spaces. Local companies, small businesses and even ordinary supporters were given the opportunity to buy a spot, with prices ranging from €25 to €150.
In return, sponsors received promotion through the club's social media accounts, discounts on tickets and merchandise, as well as opportunities to advertise their businesses with the involvement of Deportivo Municipal players.
The initiative proved highly successful. The club managed to attract 1,000 sponsors, with every available space on the shirt sold in approximately three months. The money raised was enough to cover Deportivo Municipal's expenses for an entire year.
The project was developed in cooperation with advertising agency McCann Lima. It later received international recognition by winning the top prize at Cannes Lions 2026, one of the world's leading festivals of advertising and creative marketing, held annually in Cannes.
