Fanatics Have Done It — Topps Is Taking Over the World Cup

For generations of football fans, collecting World Cup stickers and chasing those kaboom insert moments made Panini a household name. Since Mexico 1970, it is genuinely all sticker collectors have ever known — cracking packs, filling albums, swapping doubles in the playground. It has been nostalgic, it has been universal, and for over fifty years, it has been entirely Panini's world.

But from 2031, that changes. Topps will take over as the official FIFA partner for trading cards and stickers, and this is no overnight success story. Topps has already claimed the Premier League and UEFA Champions League licences after both came up for renewal — two of the biggest properties in football collectables — and the football hobby has already started to feel the shift.

This year's World Cup is giving collectors an early taste of what is coming. Topps is making bold moves to put the sport front and centre in the hobby, and FIFA is standing firmly alongside them every step of the way. For anyone paying attention, the direction of travel could not be clearer — and the full picture arrives in 2031.

The End of a 60-Year Dynasty

For most football fans alive today, World Cup stickers have always meant Panini. Since 1970, that Italian brand has been the undisputed home of the "got, got, need" ritual — a tradition passed down through generations, as familiar as the tournament itself. That era now has an expiration date. From 2031, it will be Topps albums on the shelves and Topps packs in collectors' hands for the first time at a World Cup. 

“This is truly a historic day in our company’s history. Global football is the biggest growth opportunity in sports, and when you combine the power of FIFA with the innovation and entrepreneurial backbone of Fanatics, together we’re poised to elevate storytelling and collectables around the game in a way that’s never been seen before.” - Fanatics founder and CEO, Michael Rubin.

Debut Patches Come to Football

This is the one collectors have been waiting for. Fanatics' Debut Patch programme has already reshaped what a premium hit looks like across the biggest sports in the world, and the reasons why are not hard to understand. A Debut Patch card is built around a single, unrepeatable moment — a player's first appearance at the highest level, with a swatch of the actual jersey they wore that day embedded directly into the card. There is no print run to chase down. There is one card, one moment, and one piece of kit. That combination of narrative and physical rarity is precisely what drives collectors to spend serious money, and in the NBA, MLB, and NFL, auction results for Debut Patch cards have regularly run into five and six figures.

It fits into something Topps and Fanatics have already proven works extraordinarily well across multiple sports — game-worn memorabilia in trading cards. In baseball, the NFL, and beyond, the inclusion of authenticated match-worn material has transformed what collectors expect from a premium product. A jersey swatch, a patch from a number, a piece of a cap — these are not gimmicks. For collectors, they represent a tangible connection to the moment itself, something that a photograph or a standard autograph simply cannot replicate. That concept has driven some of the most sought-after cards of the modern hobby era, and Topps have refined it into an art form.

From 2031, that art form will arrive in football. Each Debut Patch card will feature a unique swatch taken directly from the jersey worn by a player during their actual World Cup debut — the first time they stepped onto the biggest stage in the sport. Official FIFA products have never offered anything close to this level of physical rarity or emotional resonance, and it will immediately become the biggest chase in the football hobby. For collectors who have spent years pulling Panini hits that felt pedestrian by comparison, the arrival of Debut Patches in football is a very big deal indeed.

Fanatics Fest Takes Centre Stage

The deal goes well beyond what is inside the hobby box. Fanatics Fest — the brand's flagship collector and fan event — is set to become a central part of the World Cup final weekend, and it represents something genuinely new for football. This is not a niche hobby event tucked away in a convention centre. Fanatics Fest is a mainstream, high-production spectacle that draws in casual fans, serious collectors, and people who have never pulled a trading card in their life — and the World Cup is about to be placed right in the middle of it.

The venue will host the official pre-match press conference for the final itself, putting the sport's biggest coaches and most recognisable players on a stage in front of a crowd that spans well beyond the traditional football audience. For the trading card world, that is significant. Hobby collectors who might follow basketball or American football through Topps and Fanatics products will suddenly find themselves face-to-face with the World Cup final in a setting they already know and trust. Football is being introduced to an entirely new audience through the lens of the hobby, rather than the other way around.

On match day, Fanatics Fest transforms into a full-scale watch party — live sport, retail activations, celebrity appearances, and the kind of atmosphere that makes the event feel as important as the match itself. For those without a ticket to the final, this becomes the place to be. It is a bold statement that Fanatics does not just want to sell products around the World Cup — they want to own the entire fan experience surrounding it, and bring millions of new eyes to football in the process.

£150 Million for the Next Generation

Perhaps the most meaningful element of the entire agreement sits away from the premium end of the market. Fanatics and FIFA have committed to distributing £150 million worth of collectables to young people across every global region — putting cards and stickers into the hands of kids who might not otherwise have access to the hobby. It is a long-term bet on football collecting as a genuinely global pursuit, seeding enthusiasm in markets that have barely been touched yet.

The Bottom Line

Panini's exit marks the end of something genuinely nostalgic, and it would be dishonest to pretend otherwise. But Fanatics are not arriving with a like-for-like replacement — they are bringing scale, innovation, and a product vision that football collecting has never seen at the official FIFA level. From the first Topps stickers of the 2034 World Cup to the Debut Patches launching in 2031, the hobby is changing. The only question now is how big it gets.

Below is the full press release.

FIFA AND FANATICS EXPAND WIDE-RANGING RELATIONSHIP TO INCLUDE
HISTORIC EXCLUSIVE COLLECTIBLES AGREEMENT (TRADING CARDS,

STICKERS AND TRADING CARD GAMES)
Partnership includes FIFA tournaments and events from 2031

Agreement encompasses both physical and digital collectables, and for the first time

brings the player jersey patch program to international football

Pre-match press conferences for the FIFA World Cup Final to take place at Fanatics

Fest on Friday, 17 July 2026

NEW YORK (May 7, 2026) – In a landmark agreement expanding their already
successful, wide-ranging commercial relationship, FIFA and Fanatics have signed a
long-term, exclusive collectables licensing deal that features trading cards, stickers, and
trading card games. The agreement, which will begin in full in 2031, covers both
physical and digital collectibles.

An example of the product innovations that will be brought to fans under this new
partnership is the highly sought-after player jersey patch program, including debut
patches, which will be inserted into football trading cards from 2031 onward. All
products will be designed and developed through Fanatics Collectables and produced
under the Topps brand.

As a part of the deal, Fanatics will bring the magic to young people in every region of
the world and support youth football globally by distributing more than $150 million in
collectables free of charge across the lifetime of the partnership.

“Across the sports landscape, we see that Fanatics are driving massive innovation in
collectibles that provides fans with a new, meaningful way to engage with their favourite
teams and with their favourite players,” said FIFA President Gianni Infantino.  “So, from
FIFA’s point of view, we can globalise that fan engagement precisely thanks to our
global tournament portfolio. And this provides another important commercial revenue
stream that we channel back, as always, into the game, into football.”

Fanatics founder and CEO, Michael Rubin, said, “This is truly a historic day in our
company’s history. Global football is the biggest growth opportunity in sports, and when
You combine the power of FIFA with the innovation and entrepreneurial backbone of
Fanatics, together we’re poised to elevate storytelling and collectibles around the game
in a way that’s never been seen before.”

Fanatics Collectables CEO, Mike Mahan, added: “We’re incredibly excited to partner
with FIFA to deliver truly innovative products that bring fans and collectors closer to their
favourite players in the biggest competitions. Through our cutting-edge offerings we look
forward to helping grow both the hobby and the global game as a whole.”

For the first time, the pre-match press conferences for the FIFA World Cup Final
will be hosted at Fanatics Fest
Fanatics Fest will also hold the official FIFA World Cup Final press conferences on
Friday, 17 July 2026, two days before the FIFA World Cup Final, with coaches and
players attending along with media availability for each team, and an on-stage moment.
On Sunday, 19 July 2026, Fanatics Fest will also host a massive watch party and will air
The FIFA World Cup Final live on all screens around the Javits Centre for the tens of
thousands expected attendees that day.

More on Fanatics Collectables Innovation and Technology
Since joining Fanatics in 2022, Topps has been at the forefront of product innovation
and enhancing every part of the collector experience. The company has pioneered the
popular Rookie Debut Patch (MLB, NBA, NFL, WWE, F1, MLS) and other
MVP patch programs, including the MLB Gold Logoman and the NFL Honors Gold
Shield. Topps has also introduced new relics and game-used memorabilia pieces as
well.

More on FIFA and Fanatics Partnerships Beyond Collectables
The collectables deal expands on FIFA and Fanatics’ already successful commercial
relationship. Fanatics is the official on-site retail and merchandising operator for the
FIFA World Cup 2026, including in-stadium retail operations and FIFA Fan Festival
retail experiences. Just last month, the pair also announced that FIFA will have a multi-
day presence at Fanatics Fest NYC 2026 (July 16-19), including integrated content
moments within its branded appearances and activation space.

About FIFA
Since 1904, FIFA, the Fédération Internationale de Football Association, has served as
the global governing body for football. FIFA oversees and promotes the development of
football at every level, from grassroots initiatives to elite international competitions. FIFA
also sets the rules of the game, ensures their consistent application, and works to
advance the sport through innovation, education, and collaboration with the 211 FIFA Member Associations. By organising iconic tournaments such as the FIFA World Cup™,
the FIFA Women’s World Cup™ and the FIFA Club World Cup™, FIFA provides a

platform for players to showcase their talent on the biggest stage and to help inspire
billions of fans around the globe.
About Fanatics
Fanatics is a leading global sports platform redefining how fans connect with the teams,
players, and moments they love. Backed by a team of more than 22,000 employees,
Fanatics is committed to relentlessly enhancing the fan experience.  Our businesses –
Fanatics Commerce, Fanatics Collectables, Fanatics Betting & Gaming, Fanatics Fest,
and Fanatics Studios – maximise the presence and reach for hundreds of partners
globally and create a one-stop experience that allows fans to buy, bet, and collect, while
engaging with sports in deeper, more immersive ways. This includes licensed fan gear
and lifestyle products, sportsbook, iGaming and prediction market platforms, physical
and digital trading cards, live events, premium sports entertainment content, and more.
Together, they form a powerful, integrated ecosystem delivering personalised
experiences to over 100 million fans worldwide. Fanatics holds partnerships with over
900 sports properties, from professional leagues and players’ associations to teams,
colleges, and retail partners; over 6,000 athletes and celebrities; and over 2,000 retail
locations, including all Lids retail stores.