It’s In The Cards: FIFA, Fanatics Heighten Alliance To Include Collectibles

By Barry Janoff

May 7, 2026: Distinguishing it as 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.

Financial terms of the agreement, which will begin in full in 2031 and cover both physical and digital collectibles, were not shared.

The enhanced alliance builds on a pact signed this past December naming Fanatics is the official on-site retail and merchandising operator for the FIFA World Cup 2026 hosted by the U.S,,Canada and Mexico, including in-stadium retail operations and FIFA Fan Festival retail experiences across all 16 locations.

In April, FIFA signed to have a significant  multi-day presence at the 2026 Fanatics Fest NYC, which brings together sports, culture, collectibles, live programming and immersive fan experiences, July 16–19 in the Javits Center.

Fanatics will replace Panini as FIFA’s exclusive partner for official stickers, trading cards and trading card games. Fanatics said all products will be designed and developed by Fanatics Collectibles and produced under the Topps brand.

Panini’s deal, renewed in December 2023, will cover FIFA tournaments through the 2030 World Cup, according to Sports Collectors Daily.

Fanatics also collaborated with FIFA during the 2025 inaugural FIFA Club World Cup, where the company operated on-site retail across 12 venues in 11 cities.

“This is truly a historic day in our company’s history,” Fanatics founder and CEO Michael Rubin said via the company.

“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.” 

Although the collectibles deal begins in 2031, Fanatics Collectibles will have a presence on the pitch during the 2026 Men’s World Cup via its player jersey patch program, including debut patches, which will be inserted into football trading cards from 2031 onward.

Lamine Yamal (Spain National Team/FC Barcelona) has been named as the first player to be part of this program.

“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,” FIFA president Gianni Infantino said via the organization.

“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 Fest is scheduled to hold the official FIFA World Cup Final press conferences on July 17, 2026, two days before the FIFA World Cup Final in NewYork/New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium. Coaches and players are scheduled to attend, along with media availability for each team and an on-stage moment. 

On July 19, 2026, Fanatics Fest will also host what it called a “massive watch party and will air the FIFA World Cup Final live on all screens around the Javits Center for the tens of thousands expected attendees that day.”

“The FIFA World Cup 2026 Final Weekend is bigger than one match — it’s a global cultural moment,” Lance Fensterman, CEO of Fanatics Events, said via the group.

“Fanatics Fest is built to meet that energy, and FIFA’s presence allows us to create a festival experience that feels connected to the scale, excitement, and global passion surrounding the FIFA World Cup.”

The expansion with FIFA builds on recent Fanatics alliances.

In April, Fanatics Collectibles, the NFL and the NFL Players Assn. unveiled Topps return as the NFL and NFLPA’s official exclusive trading card licensee, with the brand designing and developing its first licensed football cards since 2016.

This past October, Fanatics Collectibles, the NBA and National Basketball Players Assn. unveiled Topps’ return as the NBA and NBPA’s official exclusive trading card licensee.

FIFA Signs Fanatics To Exclusive World Cup Retail Deals

NFL, Fanatics Enhance Exclusive Retail Alliance, Adding Draft, Super Bowl

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