CBF and Yelum launch Brazil's first refereeing sponsorship with branded yellow cards
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KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Yelum is now the official sponsor of Brazilian refereeing.
- Branded yellow cards will appear in Série A and Copa do Brasil matches.
- The wider campaign is expected to total around R$ 15 million.
Announced on Tuesday, the partnership introduces a first for Brazilian football that referees will display Yelum-branded yellow cards during Campeonato Brasileiro Série A and Copa do Brasil matches throughout the remainder of the 2026 season.
Rather than pursuing a conventional sponsorship of a club or competition, Yelum has chosen one of football's most recognisable symbols to reinforce its brand identity and core message of prevention, protection and safety.
Yellow cards reimagined as a safety message
The campaign aims to transform the yellow card from a simple disciplinary tool into a broader symbol of awareness.According to Yelum, the concept aligns naturally with the company's role as an insurer: encouraging people to recognise risks before they escalate into more serious problems.
As part of the agreement, which runs until the end of the year, Yelum's branding will also appear on the sleeves of referees' shirts and on the wristbands worn by officiating teams.
André Truzzi, Vice President of Transformation and Assistance at HDI Group, said the company deliberately avoided a traditional football sponsorship.
Instead of sponsoring a club, a championship or a conventional sports property, we chose a symbol that is central to the game and directly reflects the insurer's business, name and visual identity.
The yellow card exists to draw attention before something more serious happens, and that's very similar to how we see our role in people's daily lives.
Multi-platform campaign extends beyond the pitch
The sponsorship extends well beyond match officials.Yelum has also signed a separate agreement with Record TV, allowing the brand to appear on broadcasts whenever a yellow card is shown during ten matches involving clubs from São Paulo.
The wider campaign will include:
- Television broadcast integrations
- Radio advertising
- Football-focused influencers across social media
- Digital brand activation throughout the second half of 2026
Although financial details of the CBF agreement remain confidential, Yelum confirmed that the combined investment across the refereeing sponsorship, media activations and marketing campaign is expected to total around R$15 million during the second half of 2026.
Yelum Continues to Grow Within HDI Group
The sponsorship comes as Yelum strengthens its position within the HDI Group following a series of major corporate developments.In November 2023, Talanx, HDI Group's parent company, completed the acquisition of Liberty Seguros' personal and commercial insurance operations across Latin America for approximately R$7 billion. The transaction included businesses in Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Ecuador, alongside the Aliro and Fácil Assist brands.
The Brazilian operation was subsequently rebranded as Yelum in June 2024, whilst maintaining its operational structure, customer portfolio and broker network.
Since the rebranding, the insurer has steadily expanded its contribution to the group's business. During the first half of 2026, Yelum accounted for 49.3% of gross written premiums, up from 47.7% in 2025, making it the largest brand within the HDI Group ecosystem by premium share.
The new refereeing sponsorship marks another significant step in raising Yelum's national profile, placing its brand at the centre of one of Brazil's most visible sporting stages whilst reinforcing its long-term positioning around prevention and protection.
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