Fanatics has had a very, very busy start to 2026.
Last week, Topps announced an exclusive, long-term trading card, sticker, and trading card game licensing deal with the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF), covering the men’s, women’s, and youth national teams. Sadly, Saudi fans will have to keep holding their breath, as the agreement doesn’t begin until 2028, running through the 2034 men’s World Cup in the Kingdom.
That said, this isn’t just about the SAFF. It’s about Topps/Fanatics signing its seventh exclusive collectibles agreement this calendar year alone.
For context, here’s what the past three months have looked like for Fanatics’ collectibles arm:
The 2026 Topps Deal Tracker
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March 30 — Brazil (CBF): Exclusive deal with the Brazilian Football Confederation, starting in 2027.
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April 2 — NFL: Exclusive trading card license, effective immediately.
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April 5 — Argentina (AFA): Exclusive deal with the Argentine Football Association, effective immediately.
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April 8 — England (FA) and Germany (DFB): Exclusive deals with both federations, starting in 2031.
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April 8 — Italy (FIGC): Exclusive deal for the Italian football federation, starting in 2035.
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May 7 — FIFA: Exclusive deal starting in 2031, covering the next men’s and women’s World Cups, and marking the end of Panini’s famous sticker books.
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June 8 — Saudi Arabia (SAFF): Exclusive deal starting in 2028, ahead of the 2034 men’s World Cup.
Topps’ existing soccer portfolio already includes the Premier League, Bundesliga, and Major League Soccer, leaving just three of Europe’s ‘big five’ leagues, which collectors can still snag via the company’s popular UEFA club competition offerings. Add the 2026 additions, and Topps now holds federation-level licensing across most of the sport’s largest national programs, too. All of this comes on the heels of Topps taking over the NBA last October, solidifying Fanatics’ massive footprint across major sports.
However, the competition is remaining aggressive and firing back with historic moves of their own. Panini just announced a landmark partnership with the English Football League (EFL), bringing official EFL trading cards to the United States for the very first time. Launching in July, the upcoming 2025-26 Panini Prestige EFL collection will give American collectors unprecedented access to 300 cards spanning all 72 clubs across the Championship, League One, and League Two.
What It Means for Collectors
Instead of a shrinking market, collectors are witnessing a massive global arms race. As the heavyweights battle for licensing supremacy, the real winner is the international soccer fan. The hobby is becoming truly borderless; Fanatics is building a unified ecosystem around the world’s biggest national federations and tournaments, while Panini is digging deep into rich, historic leagues to bring them stateside.
Ultimately, this intense competition is forcing brands to bring more diverse, globally expansive products directly to American retail shelves. Either way, Topps and its competitors have been incredibly busy in 2026, and based on the current pace of announcements across the industry, an eighth major deal before year’s end doesn’t seem unlikely at all.
Which set are you most excited for? Let us know on Mantel.
