Fanatics, the global merchandising and e-commerce powerhouse, has struck a new six-year trading card agreement with the European soccer governing body UEFA, further entrenching the positioning of its Topps brand alongside the top-tier UEFA Champions League (UCL) property.
Running from 2027 through the 2032-33 campaign, this expanded deal will see Topps continue as the official trading card, sticker and trading card game partner of UEFA’s men’s and women’s club competitions.
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This includes the elite UCL and women’s UWCL competitions, as well as the men’s second-tier Europa League, tertiary Conference League, youth-category UEFA Youth League, and the season-opening UEFA Super Cup game.
Through the extended deal, Fanatics will widen the array of collectable offerings, including the inclusion of new ‘debut patches’ on shirts worn by UCL debutants, which will be taken and placed into trading cards for customers
Speaking on the deal and the new offerings, Fanatics founder and chief executive Michael Rubin said: “Together UEFA, European Football Clubs and Fanatics will continue to bring innovative products to fans and collectors for years to come – and through new introductions like the Debut Patch, bring them even closer to the players and clubs they love and support.”
Commercial rights to the UCL, including trading card licensing, are managed by global sports commercial agency Relevent, through its dedicated Relevent Football Partners arm for UEFA dealings, which is the exclusive global sales and marketing partner of UC3, and which brokered this agreement.
UC3 is the joint venture between UEFA and the European Club Association (ECA) that controls the marketing, sales, and delivery of commercial rights for the club competitions.
Sportcal understands that revenue in the 2024-27 cycle is on track to break €1 billion ($1.2 billion) in average annual value on the sponsorship and licensing side, with the change in the commercial structure brought in by Relevent to UC3 proving successful so far after it replaced UEFA's long-time partner Team Marketing.
UEFA president and UC3 chair Aleksander Ceferin added about the deal: “Renewing our partnership with Fanatics for UEFA club competitions reflects the strength of our collaboration and our shared commitment to delivering best-in-class products for fans and collectors globally. Fanatics knows how to make big moments feel special.”
Topps has been UEFA’s licensed collectibles partner for the top-tier Champions League and second-tier Europa League since 2015, predating its acquisition by Fanatics, meaning this extension will take the partnership close to two decades.
