The Champions League kicks off once more next week as champions Paris Saint-Germain aim to defend their title once more after winning the competition for the past two years.
Ahead of the start of the competition, journalist David Ornstein has revealed that players appearing for the first time in the competition will have a small patch displayed on the sleeve of their jersey to symbolize their debut.
This comes as UEFA partner with Fanatics Collectibles and the patch will be integrated into a unique trading card that is also signed by the player before being placed into packs that fans can buy.
Ornstein states the program will be rolled out in the Women’s Champions League from the 2027-28 season, one year after being introduced to the men's game.
“The timing of this announcement – on the eve of the Champions League season – is incredibly meaningful for us, especially as Fanatics Collectibles continues to meaningfully expand its footprint across Europe,” said Michael Rubin, Founder and CEO of Fanatics.
“Together, UEFA 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.”
The likes of Max Dowman, Konstantinos Karetsas, Lennart Karl, Estevao and Rio Ngumoha made their Champions League debuts last season and it will be interesting to see which new stars will be signing their debut cards this campaign.