Bundesliga and Topps launch 'Starting XI Debut Patch' for the 2026/27 season
The Bundesliga and its official licensing partner Topps are creating a new connection between on-pitch action and the world of collecting.
Starting this season – which kicks off on Friday when champions FC Bayern München host VfB Stuttgart (8.30pm CEST) - all players making their first appearance in a Bundesliga starting line-up will be honoured with the new Starting XI Debut Patch. The special patch will be worn on the player’s jersey during this unique career milestone and will subsequently become part of an exclusive, hand-signed Topps trading card.
Millions dream of one day taking the field in a Bundesliga starting line-up. For those who achieve that goal, the moment is truly unique and the Starting XI Debut Patch is designed to commemorate the occasion. Each player will receive the badge only once in their career, for their first Bundesliga start. Immediately after the match, the patch will be removed from the jersey and secured for further use.
From the Bundesliga pitch to a trading card
The game-worn original patch will then be incorporated into an exclusive trading card, personally signed by the player. As a result, every card will be a genuine one-of-one collectible. These cards will later be inserted into selected Bundesliga trading card collections produced by Topps.
For fans, this creates the opportunity to chase one of the rarest collectibles in German football: an authentic, player-signed card featuring the actual Starting XI Debut Patch worn during the player's first Bundesliga start.
“For every player, their first Bundesliga start is a milestone and the reward for many years of hard work, sacrifice and passion,” said Peer Naubert, Chief Commercial Officer of Bundesliga Media. “With the Starting XI Debut Patch, we are making this special moment visible and preserving it permanently as part of football history. Together with Topps, we are connecting an authentic moment on the pitch with fans’ passion for collecting and creating a keepsake that can exist only once.”
A first among Europe’s top leagues
With the introduction of the Starting XI Debut Patch, the Bundesliga becomes the first major European professional football league to implement this concept. The program will make its debut during the Bundesliga season-opening match in Munich between Bayern and Stuttgart at the Allianz Arena.
Who receives a Starting XI Debut Patch?
Every player making their first Bundesliga start will receive the honour. Whether an academy player, a new signing or an established professional, every debut starter will receive their own patch.
In the case of players who are still minors at the time of their debut, the patch will only be included in a Bundesliga trading card collection after the player has reached their 18th birthday.
A new dimension for collectors
Since 2008, the Bundesliga and Topps have worked closely together to capture special moments and memorabilia from German professional football through trading cards.
Among the most sought-after relic cards are those containing authentic pieces of jerseys, goal nets, match balls or game-worn football boots, as well as cards featuring metal shavings from the engraving of the Meisterschale trophy, awarded to the Bundesliga champions.
The new Starting XI Debut Patch Card expands this portfolio with another extraordinary collectible, combining an authentic matchday artifact with one of the most emotional moments in a professional footballer’s career.
The first trading cards featuring embedded Starting XI Debut Patches will be available from spring 2027 in the Topps product “Bundesliga Chrome.”
