Sports sponsorship radar: October 2026

Every month we track the new sponsorship deals in sport: who signed, with whom, and why it matters. This is October 2026.

The deals

Cycling is where the money moved this month.

Sanofi × Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes. From 2027 Sanofi becomes an official partner of both Tours and sponsor of the white jersey, worn by the best young rider under 25. According to the official release, it is the first company to back the white jersey on both races. Sanofi plans health awareness programmes in host cities, fan zones, along the route and online. (Sanofi)

Castelli × A.S.O. Castelli replaces Santini as official jersey supplier of the Tour de France, La Vuelta and 25 other races from 2027, including the yellow jersey. It is a return: Castelli made the Tour's leader jerseys between 1989 and 1994. (2Playbook)

Controlpack × professional cycling. The packaging company from La Sénia will be title sponsor of Controlpack-De la Uz-Mentorise, a UCI Continental team, for three years from 2027, with Perfumerías De la Uz as co-sponsor. (Diari de Tarragona)

Vueling × Athletic Club. Renewed until 2030, and the logo moves from the shorts to the left sleeve of the shirt. The airline launched the change with a campaign called "Arrimar el hombro" and a new design for the Athletic plane, which has already flown around 1,300 times to more than 70 European destinations. (Athletic Club)

DAZN Bet × Atlético de Madrid. A multi-year official sponsorship, and DAZN Bet's first club in LaLiga after AC Monza in Serie A. (2Playbook)

Baghdadi Capital × Real Sociedad. Already on the front of the men's shirt, the investment firm now also sponsors the women's team in Liga F and the reserve side, Sanse, for this season. (2Playbook)

Red Bull × MotoGP. Two deals in two weeks. Red Bull returns to Honda HRC's factory team as a featured partner from 2027 (RTR Sports), and becomes title sponsor of the Australian Grand Prix in 2027 and 2028, when the race moves to a new street circuit in Adelaide (MotoGP).

Heineken × Baller League. A global partnership for the creator-led six-a-side league's new season. Heineken launched it by turning KSI, Chloe Kelly, Micah Richards, Alex Iwobi and Mark Goldbridge into foosball figures, and owns the two "Gamechanger" moments in every match. (Inside World Football)

What the month tells us

Three patterns stand out. Cycling is attracting brands from outside sport, like a pharmaceutical company and a packaging firm. Clubs are selling more than the front of the shirt: sleeves, women's teams and reserve sides. And some brands are signing more than one deal in the same sport, like Red Bull in MotoGP.

Each of these deals has the same challenge the day after it is announced: the logo is in place, but fans still need a reason to care. If you have just signed a deal and want it to mean something to fans, see how we activate sponsorships.

Cover photo: Athletic Club / Vueling, from the club's announcement.