KUALA LUMPUR, June 16 — World Cup fans have spotted a new detail on players’ shirts this year: small sleeve patches that are set to feature in future Topps trading cards, though little has been officially explained about them.

Topps, an American company best known for sports trading cards and sticker albums, is owned by global sports merchandise giant Fanatics.

The patches, which mark milestones such as debuts and past awards, have appeared with minimal acknowledgement from Fifa, The Athletic reported.

“This deal starts only in a few years and will run for several years and various tournaments, but it also includes the first-ever players jersey patch program that will actually kick off at this upcoming Fifa World Cup,” Fifa president Gianni Infantino said in May.

Fanatics chief executive Michael Rubin noted that similar patch programmes had already been introduced across major US sports, including the NFL, NBA and MLB.

The patches are small enough that many viewers may not have noticed them, despite initial online concern they would dominate shirt fronts. Other patches commemorating achievements have also been seen, though neither Fifa nor Fanatics have publicly detailed their use.

According to The Athletic, the Debut patch is worn by players making their first World Cup appearance. A Legacy patch is awarded to those featuring in five or more tournaments, including Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Manuel Neuer, Luka Modric and Yuto Nagatomo. A Golden Boot patch is given to past top scorers such as Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappe and James Rodriguez, while a Golden Glove patch recognises goalkeepers named best in tournament editions, among them Neuer, Emiliano Martinez and Thibaut Courtois.

Separately, sleeve patches featuring the 2026 World Cup logo vary by team: gold for past champions such as Argentina, Brazil, England, France, Germany, Spain and Uruguay, while other nations wear black or white versions depending on kit colour.

Fanatics declined to comment on the additional patches when approached by The Athletic, while Fifa has not responded to requests for clarification.