UEFA will introduce special “Debut Patches” for players making their first-ever appearances in the UEFA Champions League during the 2026/27 season.

The European football governing body confirmed the initiative on Wednesday, September 2, saying the new patch is designed to recognise and celebrate a significant milestone in a player’s career.

The patch will be incorporated into the UEFA Champions League Starball badge on the sleeve of a player’s shirt and will be worn only during the player’s first appearance in the competition. Importantly, players who enter a match as substitutes will also qualify, provided they actually take to the pitch.

The initiative has been introduced by UEFA and UC3 in collaboration with Topps, with the debut patches forming part of a broader memorabilia programme.

Following a player’s first Champions League appearance, the distinctive blue debut element will be removed from the match-worn shirt and authenticated. It will then be securely packaged with a Certificate of Authenticity before being transferred to Topps.

Topps will subsequently incorporate the patch into a one-of-one trading card, which will be signed by the player. The initiative is intended to turn each player’s Champions League debut into a unique piece of football memorabilia for collectors.

UEFA said the debut patch is scheduled to be introduced from Matchday 1 of the 2026/27 league phase, which begins on September 8.

Once the patch has been removed, the underlying Champions League badge on the player’s shirt will retain a visual indication of the player’s first appearance, allowing the debut shirt itself to remain a keepsake.

A player will not wear the Debut Patch again after making their Champions League debut, even if they subsequently move to another club competing in UEFA competitions.

The 2026/27 Champions League league phase features 36 teams, with the opening fixtures scheduled for September 8 and 9. Four clubs — Como, LASK, Sabah and Viking — are also making their first appearances in the Champions League league phase.

The new patch programme adds another collectible element to Europe’s premier club competition while giving players and fans a way to mark the moment a footballer steps onto the Champions League stage for the first time.