Get ready for a new chapter in World Cup history! This summer, every player making their tournament debut at the FIFA World Cup will sport a special "debut patch" on their shirt—a collectible badge that marks their first step onto the global stage.

Think of it as a badge of honor for football's newest stars. From Erling Haaland to Lamine Yamal, and even every member of the Scotland squad, these patches will be worn with pride during a player's first match. But here's the twist: after the final whistle, the patch is removed from the shirt and transformed into a unique, limited-edition trading card.

This innovative initiative is part of a new licensing deal that will see Fanatics replace Panini as FIFA's official partner for trading cards and stickers starting in 2031. While the design of the World Cup debut patch is still under wraps, the concept is already a hit in US sports, having been introduced in Major League Soccer in 2024.

Here's how it works: each team receives a stock of patches, which are affixed to the upper-right chest of a player's shirt with adhesive before their debut. After the game, the patch is carefully removed and placed onto a collectible trading card, which is then randomly inserted into Topps hobby boxes. In MLS, these cards are even autographed by the player—though FIFA hasn't confirmed if that will be the case for the World Cup.

Since the Fanatics deal doesn't kick in until 2031, fans won't be able to buy these cards until after that date. But that means there's a massive stockpile of debut cards from the 2026 and 2030 finals waiting to become a coveted set of World Cup collectibles. This summer alone, expect upwards of 600 debut cards to be created!

Which nations will be making their first-ever World Cup appearance? Cape Verde, Curacao, Jordan, and Uzbekistan. Meanwhile, teams like Austria, the Czech Republic, DR Congo, Haiti, Iraq, New Zealand, Norway, Paraguay, Scotland, and Turkey are returning after long absences. And don't forget Algeria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Ivory Coast—they're back for the first time in 12 years.

Whether you're a collector or just a fan, these debut patches are a piece of football history in the making. Keep an eye on the shirts—and the trading cards—this summer!