UEFA will introduce special “debut patches” for players making their first appearances in the UEFA Champions League during the 2026/27 season.

The initiative is part of a new agreement between UEFA and Fanatics, with the small commemorative patches to be placed on the sleeves of players making their Champions League debuts.

UEFA announced the initiative in a post on its official X handle on Wednesday, saying the patch would feature the word “debut” incorporated into the competition’s iconic starball logo.

“A special debut patch has been introduced for players making their first-ever #UCL appearance!” UEFA said.

The initiative will also turn the patches into unique collectibles for the players involved.

After each match, the debut patch will be removed from the player’s shirt and sent to Topps, the trading card company owned by Fanatics.

The patch will then be incorporated into a unique, player-signed Topps trading card, with each patch authenticated before the card is released.

Players who come on as substitutes and make their first Champions League appearance will also qualify for the special patch.

However, players who are included in a matchday squad but remain unused substitutes will not receive the patch until they actually feature in a Champions League match.

The initiative is expected to provide a unique keepsake for players reaching one of the biggest milestones in European club football for the first time, while also creating a limited-edition collectible linked directly to their historic debut.

The 2026/27 Champions League season will therefore introduce a new tradition designed to mark the moment players make their first appearance on European club football’s biggest stage.