LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — The race to complete the 2026 World Cup Panini sticker album is drawing new faces into local card shops and building a growing soccer community in Las Vegas.
This year’s Panini World Cup album is the largest ever, featuring 980 stickers covering every player in the tournament. The tradition dates back more than 50 years.
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How it works
Each pack contains seven stickers and retails for about $2. Packs are also sold in bundles — 25 packs for $50 and 50 packs for $100. Duplicates are common, making trading a central part of the experience.
Alex Norwood, who works at Legacy Sports Cards in Las Vegas, explained the format.
“So, every four years, Panini puts out a book. They do, you know, paperback; they also do a hardcover. They release the book, and they have basically a sticker set for every team,” Norwood said.
“So, you know, people open packs, fill out the book… and, yeah, people just open packs, people do trades, try to finish the book,” he said.
Las Vegas shop sees surge in demand
Legacy Sports Cards has reported at least 10 calls per day from collectors asking about the stickers, in addition to walk-in traffic.
“It’s really big. We probably get, I would say, at least ten calls every day asking about them, as well as people walking in asking if we have them available,” Norwood said.
The shop has hosted sticker-only trade nights, welcoming soccer fans who might not otherwise visit a card shop. A trade event is scheduled for July 15.
“You know, generally, soccer in the United States isn’t super popular compared to the other sports. So, this has been really nice to see a lot of collectors that maybe normally wouldn’t be opening packs or buying cards,” Norwood said.
A community built around trading
Trading has expanded beyond local shops, with online groups and meet-ups forming across the country. Norwood said the shared pursuit of completing the album has brought collectors together.
“It’s been nice to see that, like, one specific thing can bring a lot of people together and, you know, talking about a different sport,” he said.
The stickers are available only in the lead-up to and during the World Cup. While most collectors are focused on filling their albums, at least one rare sticker has commanded significant attention — a Lionel Messi sticker that sold for more than $100,000.
Where to buy and trade
Panini World Cup stickers are available at Legacy Sports Cards, located at 4235 S. Fort Apache Road, Suite 230, in Las Vegas. The shop is open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and can be reached at (702) 341-6526. A sticker trade event is scheduled for July 15.
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