American football’s NFL has reunited with trading card and collectible brand Topps in a deal that will see the Fanatics-owned company take over as the league’s official trading card partner after more than a decade.
The deal follows the expiration of rival Panini America’s exclusive rights deal with the NFL and restores Topps' ability to feature NFL team logos, names, marks, helmet design, player uniforms, and NFL branding for the first time since 2016.
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Mike Mahan, chief executive of Fanatics Collectibles, said: “In partnership with the league and the players' association, we are excited to build a program that honors the legacy of the game while introducing never-before-seen levels of innovation, storytelling, and premium design.
“We look forward to bringing our passion for football to life through our incredible products.”
Topps’ first release under the long-term deal between Fanatics Collectibles and the league will be 2025 Topps Chrome Football, which is set to debut on April 15, with pre-orders beginning on April 3.
The Topps Chrome Football set will introduce two key concepts signed to deepen the connection between fans and the game – the Rookie PREM1ERE Patch Autograph cards and NGL Honors Gold Shield Autographs – both of which feature game-worn elements.
Members of the 2025 NFL Draft class wore the PREM1ERE patch on their jersey during their first NFL regular season appearance last season. The patch was then removed and placed into a rookie card.
Similarly, the 2024 NFL award winners wore gold NFL shield patches on their jerseys throughout the 2025 season, with some of those patches removed and placed within cards.
The new elements mark a shift in focus to meaningful moments and storytelling as a core driver of value for the hobby and come with the league noting a nearly sixfold increase in sales since 2019.
Casey Collins, senior vice president of consumer products at the NFL, commented: “This partnership between the NFL and Fanatics Collectibles brings together the league, our players, and a best-in-class collectibles platform to better serve fans and grow the trading card hobby.
“We’re excited to welcome Topps back as our exclusive trading card partner, and by leveraging their expertise and innovation, we will reach fans and collectors around the world with one-of-a-kind offerings and experiences.”
Along with card packs, the partnership will see Fanatics work with the NFL on a multi-day, interactive celebration of the trading card hobby at the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh, where fans can learn about collectibles, receive free packs, and watch live pack openings throughout the event.
The deal comes three years after the NFLPA, the players’ association of American football’s premier NFL, terminated its partnership with Panini to begin its new deal with Fanatics three years early and after a bitter legal feud between Panini and Fanatics.
Panini initiated proceedings by recently filing an antitrust lawsuit against its rival, alleging it is attempting to monopolize the trading card market after entering the sector two years ago.
Panini alleges Fanatics has engaged in “calculated, intentional, anticompetitive conduct” by securing long-term, exclusive licensing deals with leagues and players.
However, Fanatics quickly filed a countersuit alleging that businesses that have left Panini in favor of the e-commerce giant have done so due to its incompetence.
