On the occasion of World Cancer Day, the French Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP), together with the Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 clubs (the first two divisions of French football), launched an initiative that consisted of the creation of hats with the colors of each team, intended for those fans who suffer from alopecia resulting from oncological treatments. This is an edition that will not be for sale and whose vehicle has been to make sports merchandising a gesture of support.

The proposal is based on the double meaning of the French term “supporter”which means cheering on a team, but also enduring or resisting. Thus, the campaign is based on a reality: the disease affects physically and can also generate isolation and distance from the community. For many fans, the stadium is identity and bond, so when treatment forces them to move away, that connection can weaken.

According to European research cited in this initiative, loneliness can increase the risk of mortality in cancer patients. Faced with this, the LFP, in collaboration with the Institut Rafaël, has decided to respond from its own territory, appealing to collective sentiment.

The hats have been designed specifically for patients undergoing treatment with a soft, breathable and non-irritating material, inspired by the fabric of the team’s official t-shirts.

By renouncing commercial logic and declaring that the caps “will never be sold”, the LFP introduces a significant break in the language of sponsorship and brand exploitation of football clubs. The product thus ceases to be a monetization instrument and becomes a symbol of accompaniment.

The initiative has been accompanied by a video filmed in Auxerre, Brest, Saint-Étienne and Toulouse, with the participation of professional and amateur players currently undergoing treatment.