Topps Replaces Panini: The End of an Era in Football Card Collecting

On May 7, 2026, one of the most historic changes in the world of sports collecting was announced. FIFA and Fanatics have signed an exclusive long-term agreement under which Topps — owned by Fanatics since 2022 — will assume the global rights for the production of trading cards, stickers, and card games for FIFA tournaments starting in 2031.

This means that the 2030 World Cup, to be held in Spain, Portugal, and Morocco, will be the last with Panini. A collaboration of over 60 years comes to an end.

The first World Cup with Topps will be Saudi Arabia 2034.

The agreement includes physical and digital collectibles, and one of the most anticipated novelties is the debut patch program — similar to what already exists in the NBA and NFL — where cards will include actual patches from the jerseys of players making their national team debut.

For collectors, this change is historic. The last Panini collections with a FIFA license will gain value as pieces of an unrepeatable era. The first Topps collections will mark the beginning of a new one.

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"Source: FIFA.com"