Fanatics and FIFA have signed a long-term, exclusive collectibles licensing agreement covering trading cards, stickers and trading card games. The deal expands their existing commercial relationship and will take full effect in 2031. It encompasses both physical and digital collectibles.
All products will be designed and developed by Fanatics Collectibles and produced under the Topps brand. A key feature of the new partnership is the introduction of a player jersey patch program—including debut patches—that will be inserted into packs when the license kicks in.
The agreement ends Panini’s longstanding role as FIFA’s exclusive partner for official stickers, trading cards and trading card games. Panini’s deal, renewed in December 2023, will cover FIFA tournaments through the 2030 World Cup.
As part of the partnership, Fanatics will distribute more than $150 million in collectibles free of charge to young people worldwide across the lifetime of the agreement to support youth football globally.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino said in the announcement: “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 favorite teams and with their favorite players. So, from FIFA’s point of view, we can globalize 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 stated: “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 Collectibles 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 favorite 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.”
The announcement also detailed immediate integration with Fanatics Fest 2026. For the first time, the pre-match press conferences for the FIFA World Cup Final will be hosted at Fanatics Fest. On Friday, July 17, 2026—two days before the Final—Fanatics Fest will hold the official FIFA World Cup Final press conferences at the Javits Center in New York City, featuring coaches, players and media availability. On Sunday, July 19, 2026, the event will host a massive watch party and air the FIFA World Cup Final live on all screens for expected tens of thousands of attendees.
The full collectibles licensing rights under the new agreement begin with FIFA tournaments and events in 2031.
