The historic relationship between FIFA and Panini will come to an end. The governing body of world football confirmed that the 2030 World Cup will be the last edition with an official album from the renowned Italian brand, thus closing more than six decades of alliance that began in Mexico 1970 and that accompanied generations of fans around the planet.
Starting in 2031, the exclusive rights for the production of collectibles will pass into the hands of Fanatics and Topps, companies that signed a long-term agreement with FIFA that will cover trading cards, stickers and collectible card games linked to the competitions organized by the governing body of world football.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino explained that the new alliance seeks to modernize the collectible items market and strengthen the bond between fans, teams and players. The agreement will also include digital collectibles, marking an important change in FIFA’s commercial strategy. One of the most anticipated formats is the World Cup Debut card with official patches, a system already popular in American leagues such as the NFL, NBA and MLB that consists of removing and authenticating a patch used by a footballer during his World Cup debut to integrate it into a letter signed by the player himself.
The announcement comes at a delicate time for Panini. According to documents revealed by TheAthleticthe company had analyzed selling the company in 2025 and was betting that the economic impact of the 2026 World Cup would help raise its valuation. The Italian brand generated nearly $720 million in net sales with products from the 2022 Qatar World Cup and projected revenues of $1.48 billion for the 2026 World Cup, so the loss of the FIFA license represents a significant blow to its finances and its position in the global sports collectibles market.
The end of a tradition
From Mexico 1970 to the next World Cup 2030, Panini albums became an inseparable tradition of each World Cup, leaving a historical mark among millions of fans who grew up completing their collections with figurines of their favorite players.
The only exception in that period was the 1994 World Cup in the United States, where the Italian brand did not have the rights, but in all other tournaments Panini was present with its characteristic albums that became part of the popular culture of each World Cup edition.
Fanatics, the company that will assume the rights starting in 2031, expects to exceed $4 billion in revenue from collectibles in 2026 and already concentrates exclusive rights to several of the world’s main sports competitions, including the NBA, NFL, MLB, Premier League and Formula 1.