Full Breakdown
FIFA and Fanatics Seal Historic Exclusive Collectibles Deal
5/7/2026, 8:29:56 PM
Core Agreement
FIFA and Fanatics have signed an exclusive licensing agreement for trading cards, stickers and trading-card games, announced in 2026 and set to become fully operational in 2031, covering both physical and digital products under the Topps brand. The deal adds a player-jersey patch program that will embed debut patches into football cards, and Fanatics will allocate more than $150 million in free collectibles to support youth football worldwide. The partnership also expands Fanatics’ role as the on-site retail and merchandising operator for the 2026 World Cup.
Timeline & Activation
- 2026 – Deal announced; pre-match press conferences for the World Cup Final will be held on 17 July 2026 at Fanatics Fest, New York, with a watch party on 19 July 2026 at the Javits Center.
- 2031 – Full rollout of licensed trading cards, stickers and games, including debut-patch inserts.
- 2026 & 2030 World Cups – Players such as Lamine Yamal will wear debut patches that will appear in the 2031 product line.
Official Statements & Responses
FIFA President Gianni Infantino highlighted Fanatics’ innovation and the deal’s ability to globalize fan engagement and create a new revenue stream for football development, while Fanatics founder Michael Rubin called it a historic milestone that makes global football the sport’s largest growth opportunity. Fanatics Collectibles CEO Mike Mahan emphasized the potential to expand the hobby and the global game through cutting-edge products. The FIFA press release described the arrangement as a licensing deal for trading cards, stickers and games.
Verbatim Quotes
- “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,” — Gianni Infantino, FIFA President
- “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.” — Michael Rubin, Founder and CEO, Fanatics
- “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.” — Mike Mahan, CEO, Fanatics Collectibles
- “In a landmark agreement expanding their already successful wide-ranging commercial relationship, FIFA and Fanatics have signed a long-term, exclusive collectibles licensing deal that features trading cards, stickers, and trading card games.” — FIFA Press Release
What’s Next
The 2026 press conferences and watch party will activate the partnership; the 2031 launch will introduce the full suite of licensed collectibles while free youth-football items continue to be distributed.
