Champions League debutants to wear special patches on their shirts
Translated from Spanish and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.
At a glance
- Players making their Champions League debut in the 2026-27 season will wear a blue patch integrated into the competitionโs Starball crest on their sleeve.
- UEFA, UC3 and Topps will authenticate each patch after the playerโs first match and use it in a signed collectible card.
Players stepping onto the Champions League stage for the first time in the 2026-27 season will carry a visible reminder of the occasion on their sleeves.
UEFA has unveiled a blue debut patch that will appear within the competitionโs Starball crest on the shirt sleeve. The distinction will also apply to players named as substitutes, recognizing their first involvement in the tournament.
After the match, the patch will be removed from the shirt. It will then be certified and securely packaged with a Certificate of Authenticity before being transferred to Topps. The company will incorporate it into a Champions League collectible card signed by the player.
The initiative, developed by UEFA and UC3 in collaboration with Topps, is designed to preserve the identity and provenance of each patch from its removal from the shirt through to its inclusion in the final product.
Originally published by ABC Color in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.