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.
The small patches will appear on the sleeves of players making their debuts.
It will have the text “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.
Champions League: UEFA introduces debut patches for first-time players