Copy linkFacebookXPinterestEmailShare this article 0Join the conversationFollow usAdd us as a preferred source on GoogleNewsletterSubscribe to our newsletterApproaching its centenary in what will be a 24th finals tournament, the World Cup has become a magnet for traditions and rituals around the globe.World Cup 2026 is the 23rd tournament and will be played in the United States, Canada and Mexico in June and July. Less than two months out, the launch of the new official sticker collection from Panini is a cultural milestone on the road to football's greatest show.The collection was unveiled at Wembley Stadium and collectors who pour their efforts into adhesive jewels every four years can't wait to get started. You may like FIFA World Cup 2026: Dates, fixtures, stadiums, tickets and everything you need to know ORDER your FourFourTwo World Cup 2026 wall chart the ultimate tournament tracker Get 73% off a Nord VPN subscription for a limited time only How many World Cup 2026 stickers are there?The biggest ever World Cup calls for the biggest ever World Cup official sticker collection. Panini has gone all out, producing a massive 980 stickers to fill the 2026 album.That's more than four square metres of sticker, each one jam-packed with the best players eligible for 48 World Cup squads heading to North America this summer.When does the World Cup 2026 collection go on sale?The World Cup 2026 sticker collection goes on sale across the United Kingdom on Thursday, April 30.A Starter Pack will be available and comprises this year's 112-page album and four packets of stickers.Get FourFourTwo NewsletterThe best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.Sticker packets will be available from retailers and collectors can snag multipacks, tins and other exclusive bits and bobs online.Each packet contains seven stickers.Are there any special stickers in the World Cup 2026 collection?Among the 980 stickers that make up the World Cup 2026 collection, there will be 68 classified as 'special' stickers, featuring the likes of Argentina icon Lionel Messi, Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo and Spain phenom Lamine Yamal. What to read next World Cup 2026 calendar: Pacific Daylight Time World Cup 2026 calendar: Central Daylight Time How many games will there be at the 2026 World Cup? There's also a double-page spread to fill with 12 stickers in partnership with Coca-Cola.From the middle May, stickers bearing the images of players including Yamal, Argentina's Lautaro Martinez, England skipper Harry Kane and Joshua Kimmich of Germany will be hidden behind the labels of Coke bottles.Which players launched the Panini World Cup 2026 sticker collection?The England-flavoured launch of this year's sticker album featured a quartet of former England stars: John Barnes, David James, Gary Cahill and Adam Lallana.They have 17 World Cup finals appearances between them."As someone who grew up collecting Panini stickers, swapping with friends in the playground and trying to complete the album every tournament, the album has always marked the real start of a World Cup for me!" says Cahill."Seeing myself in the collection during my playing days was a surreal and proud moment, and a reminder of how these stickers become part of the story of every World Cup."Which World Cup sticker collections have been produced by Panini?Panini has been behind official sticker collections for every World Cup since 1970, meaning the World Cup 2026 sticker collection is the 15th consecutive edition of this cultural touchstone.Whether you're a nostalgic collector, an obsessive completist or a parent being nagged to help a child build up their collection of 980 stickers, the launch of the Panini album is a long-established part of the World Cup experience.Let the countdown begin!TOPICSWorld CupWorld Cup 2026Chris NeeChris is a Warwickshire-based freelance football writer specialising in West Midlands football, the Premier League, the EFL and the J.League. He is the author of the High Protein Beef Paste football newsletter and owner of Aston Villa Review. He supports Coventry Sphinx.
