FIFA and Fanatics strike exclusive collectibles deal

FIFA and Fanatics have signed a long-term, exclusive collectibles licensing agreement covering trading cards, stickers and trading card games, expanding an existing commercial relationship that already includes retail and event operations around FIFA World Cup 2026.The deal is set to begin in full in 2031 and will cover both physical and digital collectibles, with products designed and developed by Fanatics Collectibles and produced under the Topps brand.FIFA president Gianni Infantino said the agreement adds a new monetisation channel tied to FIFA’s tournament portfolio.“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.”A central product innovation is a player jersey patch programme, including debut patches, which will be inserted into football trading cards from 2031 onwards, marking the first time the concept is being applied to international football under the partnership.Fanatics said it will also distribute more than US$150m in collectibles free of charge over the lifetime of the partnership, positioning the initiative as support for youth football and a route to expanding participation in the collectibles category.Fanatics founder and chief executive Michael Rubin said the agreement is aimed at scaling football collectibles globally through combined rights and product development.“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 chief executive Mike Mahan said the focus will be on new product formats intended to connect collectors more directly to players and competitions.The collectibles rights expansion also links into Fanatics Fest NYC 2026, where FIFA will host the pre-match press conferences for the FIFA World Cup Final on July 17, two days before the final, with coaches and players scheduled for media availability and an on-stage segment.Fanatics Fest will also stage a live final watch party on July 19, screening the match across the Javits Center for attendees, as FIFA and Fanatics build event-based programming alongside merchandise and licensing.Beyond collectibles, Fanatics is already set as the official on-site retail and merchandising operator for FIFA World Cup 2026, including in-stadium retail operations and FIFA Fan Festival retail experiences, giving the company a broader commercial footprint across FIFA’s marquee tournament cycle.