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Observant spectators will have noticed that several players are wearing special patches on their shirts during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. These patches, positioned on the upper right chest of the jersey, signify a noteworthy milestone for the footballer wearing them.

For fans and memorabilia collectors, these patches present an exciting opportunity to own a tangible piece of World Cup history, making them a highly sought-after collectible.

The initiative is part of a newly introduced licensing partnership under which Fanatics has replaced Panini as FIFA’s official trading card and sticker partner, beginning from 2031.

Every player who debuts at the World Cup receives a jersey featuring a patch marked “Debut” beneath a gold World Cup 2026 emblem. Once the player has made his first appearance, the patch will be removed from the kit and repurposed into a trading card.

This year, as many as 18 England players — including Anthony Gordon — will sport the debut patch, joining the likes of global stars such as Erling Haaland and Lamine Yamal, both of whom are making their World Cup debuts.

The list of England debutants wearing the patches includes Dean Henderson, James Trafford, Ezri Konsa, Marc Guehi, Reece James, Tino Livramento, Nico O’Reilly, Jarell Quansah, Djed Spence, Dan Burn, Elliot Anderson, Kobbie Mainoo, Morgan Rogers, Anthony Gordon, Noni Madueke, Eberechi Eze, Ollie Watkins, and Ivan Toney.

However, supporters eager to collect these limited-edition trading cards will have to wait. They won’t become available until Fanatics’ licensing agreement officially starts in 2031. This means that debut patches from both the 2026 and 2030 World Cups will be released simultaneously once the deal takes effect.

Spain’s Lamine Yamal, one of the youngest players at the tournament, is among those making his first World Cup appearance with the debut patch proudly displayed on his shirt.

These unique patches will later be embedded into trading cards and randomly distributed within card boxes. This concept has already been tested in American sports, including Major League Soccer, where trading card hobby boxes retail for about $120. Each box typically contains 21 packs of four cards, with two of those cards being exclusive autographed editions.