The 2030 World Cup closes the chapter on "Panini".. the end of a global tradition that lasted 60 years.
The 2030 World Cup, hosted by Morocco, Spain, and Portugal, may witness the end of one of the most famous traditions associated with the tournament, with the release of the last official "Panini" sticker album, after six decades of the Italian company's dominance in this hobby that has accompanied generations of football fans around the world.
The Italian company, which has been publishing World Cup albums since the 1970 Mexico edition, faces an existential challenge after losing the rights to produce World Cup collectibles to the American company Fanatics, which will take over these rights starting from the 2031 edition, meaning that the 2030 World Cup will be the last tournament to feature the famous "Panini" album.
This move has raised concerns among collectors, who fear that the transfer of rights will change the essence of the traditional experience, with the American company focusing on sports trading cards, which have become one of its main activities after acquiring the baseball card company "Topps" in 2022.
Virgilio Sorto, a mathematics teacher from El Salvador who began collecting World Cup stickers in 1974, stated in comments reported by Bloomberg that he cannot imagine an American company primarily focused on baseball cards being able to maintain the global character that distinguished "Panini" albums. He added that these albums were not just a commercial product, but part of childhood memories and a means of communication between generations.
The importance of the album goes beyond collecting player images; it extends to the rituals of exchanging stickers among fans in schools and public squares, a custom that has become part of football culture in dozens of countries.
In Mexico City, thousands of enthusiasts have gathered every four years in front of the Palace of Fine Arts to exchange stickers and complete their albums, in a tradition that started with a small group of collectors before turning into a large public event.