FIFA are terminating their decades-long partnership with Panini, bringing an end of an era to the popular World Cup cards and stickers.
The famous brand began working with the governing body in 1970 and has since produced collectibles for every edition of the esteemed competition, apart from 1994.
Fifa are terminating their decades-long partnership with Panini Credit: AFP
Panini will stop issuing World Cup cards and stickers after the 2030 World Cup Credit: AFP
According to ESPN , however, the 2030 World Cup will mark Panini’s last ever album.
Starting in 2031, Fanatics and Topps will acquire the rights and work with .
Financial details are not yet available but the length of the deal is said to span “multiple [] cycles.”
Fifa president said: “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 favourite teams and with their favourite players.
“So, from Fifa’s point of view, we can globalise 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.”
However, football fans didn’t share Infantino’s excitement as they stormed social media in frustration.
One fan tweeted: “Games gone. Like it’s actually gone-gone.”
Another commented: “End of one iconic football tradition.”
A third wrote: “Don’t like it.”
This one said: “The game stopped being for supporters a long time ago, now it’s just collectibles for grown men chasing shiny cardboard. Honestly!”
That one added: “This is bigger than cards. It’s control of football memory + nostalgia for the next decade.”
And a comment read: “End of an era, albums were pure World Cup magic.”
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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