Players making their first appearances in the UEFA Champions League will receive special “debut patches” on their jerseys during the 2026/27 season.
The initiative is part of a new agreement between UEFA and Fanatics, with the small patches set to appear on the sleeves of players making their Champions League debuts. The patch features the word “debut” incorporated into the competition’s iconic starball logo.
After the match, the patch will be removed from the jersey and sent to Topps, the trading card company owned by Fanatics. It will then be incorporated into a unique, player-signed trading card, with the patches authenticated before the cards are released.
Players who come on as substitutes and make their first appearance will qualify for the special patches. However, players who are named in a matchday squad but remain unused substitutes will have to wait until they actually feature in a game.
The 2026/27 Champions League campaign begins on September 8, with 36 teams competing in the league phase of European club football’s premier competition.
