In October We Wear Pink

October is undoubtedly one of the most important months on the calendar because of the role it plays in research into the causes, prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and cure of breast cancer. Every year, many different organizations take a stand to raise awareness of the disease. MatchWornShirt and a variety of professional sports teams decided not only to further raise awareness of the issue, but also to raise funds to help those who are truly in need.

Throughout October, we have seen many different designs and releases that clubs have decided to auction in order to contribute to Breast Cancer Awareness Month, starting with the exclusive pregame warm-up kits from French club Toulouse FC and Spanish club Celta de Vigo. Even though both clubs decided to raise funds by auctioning the same types of kits for the same cause, the two designs were completely different, with Toulouse rocking a far more vivid and vibrant pink, while Celta went for a lighter color gradient.

Deportivo La Coruña also decided to offer very exclusive memorabilia, specifically its training kits. What made this release even more special was the inclusion of the training shirts from both the men's and women's Deportivo teams. Including players from both sides is a very original touch, and it promotes inclusion and diversity. The other Spanish club that contributed this month was UD Las Palmas, which gave its fans the chance to own a truly unique piece of club history: a limited 'pink' edition signed captain's armband featuring the club logo, the silhouette of Spain, and the signature of captain Jonathan Viera. The funds raised from the auctions by these two Spanish clubs went to the 'Spanish Association Against Cancer,' with Las Palmas also donating part of its own funds to the 'Canarian Association against Breast and Gynecological Cancer.'

Another club that decided to involve its women's team was Club América; in fact, both the men's and women's teams had their names and numbers on the backs of the shirts in pink. The shirt from the men's team featured two extra elements: the classic BCAM ribbon and the special-edition 106th-anniversary hologram, which made this piece of Club América history even more special.

The last two clubs that contributed to BCAM are French teams FC Sochaux and AS Monaco, but their contributions were shown in two drastically different ways. Sochaux released a fully bright pink MatchWornShirt and raised funds for the “Ligue against Cancer.” Monaco instead played in their usual home kits and raised funds for Trek’Heureuses, a more niche association created in 2021 by 6 women from La Turbie—a province in the southeast of France—which supports breast cancer screening and research. We also had our dearly beloved Netherlands women’s national team, who wore the pink ribbon during the national anthem to spread awareness for the “Orange for Pink” campaign. Two fan-favorite players, namely Danielle van de Donk and Jackie Groenen, gave their shirts for auction, with the funds raised going to the Pink Ribbon charity. If you want to read more about this auction, click here. Finally, French rugby club Castres Olympique decided to show their support through their main sponsor Matmut, who is committed toward inclusion, fair treatment, and improved access for all in sports. For this auction, Matmut decided to support breast cancer research by donating all the funds raised to the cause.

MatchWornShirt will always do its best to support the Pink October cause to the greatest extent possible, which naturally would not be possible without your support.