UEFA will offer ‘first updates’ to the men’s Champions League for the first time in the 2026-27 season as part of its partnership with Fanatics, reports The Athletic’s David Ornstein.
Fanatics have already used this concept in many sports. The software originated in Major League Baseball, then expanded to include the NFL, NBA, Bundesliga, Formula 1, MLS, UFC and WWE, and was also used at this summer’s World Cup in the US, Canada and Mexico.
The UEFA Champions League, UEFA’s premier club competition, features 36 teams and starts this season on September 8. The patching initiative is also expected to be introduced for the first time in the UEFA Women’s Champions League from the 2027-28 season.
The Ornstein Report specified that players making their first appearance in the competition will wear a small sleeve patch bearing the word ‘Debut’ integrated into the Champions League Star Ball logo. The initiative only applies when a player takes to the field, meaning substitutes making their Champions League debut will receive the patch, while unused substitutes will have to wait until their debut.
After the game, each patch will be removed, authenticated, and transferred to Topps, the fan-owned trading card company. They will then be combined into a unique trading card signed by the player before being placed in packs.
UEFA and Fanatics are also expected to announce a six-year extension of their current partnership until 2033, facilitated by Relevent Football Partners.
