UEFA to Introduce Debut Patches for Champions League Players

UEFA has announced that starting in the 2026/27 season, players making their first appearances in the UEFA Champions League will wear special “debut patches” on their jerseys. This initiative is part of a new agreement with Fanatics.

The patches will be located on the sleeves and will feature the word “debut” integrated into the iconic starball logo of the competition. After the match, the patches will be removed from the jerseys and sent to Topps, a trading card company owned by Fanatics.

These patches will then be used to create unique, player-signed trading cards, with the patches being authenticated prior to the cards' release. Notably, players who come on as substitutes and make their first appearance will also qualify for these special patches.

However, players who are named in the matchday squad but do not play will have to wait until they actually participate in a game to receive the patches.