Topps returns to the NFL universe. Ten years after its last licensed stint, the historic brand is back as the exclusive official trading card of the NFL following the multi-year agreement signed between Fanatics Collectibles, the league and the NFLPA.
The move opens the door to a global project. Fanatics will be able to use all official elements – logos, names, uniforms, helmets and corporate image – in a bid to relaunch the trading card market and engage a new generation of fans.
The first step already has a date. 2025 Topps Chrome Football will be released on April 15, with pre-sales starting on the 3rd. A set that lands with two pieces that are sure to set the pace for the sector: the Rookie PREM1ERE Patch Autograph, unique (1/1) cards with patches used by players in their official NFL debut, and the NFL Honors Gold Shield Autograph, also single-unit, with real shields worn by the winners of the 2024 AP awards.
In this first collection, rookies such as Jaxson Dart, Cam Ward and TreVeyon Henderson appear. They are mixed with established stars and legends of the game in a product that will cover the 32 franchises of the league, combining present and legacy without dividing the narrative.
The NFL highlights the strategic impact of the partnership, which connects the league, players and a leading collectibles platform to drive the international growth of the hobby. The NFLPA highlights the value of this market as a direct link between athletic performance and the commercial projection of players.
Fanatics is leading this new era with a clear roadmap: innovation, premium design and one underlying idea: to respect the tradition of trading cards while elevating the experience into more exclusive and narrative territory.
Topps’ return will also have a stage presence. During the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh, fans will be able to immerse themselves in the world of collecting with events, live openings and interactive experiences. The highlight will come on April 25 with Collector Celebration Day on the turf at Acrisure Stadium.
The great Draft showcase
There, among open envelopes and eyes on each card, collecting will feel like it did in the good old days: trembling hands, crackling plastic and the promise of finding a unique piece hidden in each pack.
