The hype for World Cup 2026 is being felt in the official Panini sticker collection, that released a month ago, but has surpassed all expectations: the bags, valued at 1.5 euros, with seven stickers each, are running out in many shops, with users often ordering entire boxes. The same happens with the album, valued in 5 euros: according to a study by RTVE, it is now virtually impossible to find the album and the stickers, whether in physical stores, traditional newsstands, or even on the official website of Panini.
RTVE asked an owner of a newsstand in Madrid, and she explained that "people come in desperate, asking for entire boxes of sticker packs, and we have nothing." She explains that she receives more than 300 people asking for stickers per day, so she implement rationing: "I prioritize children over adults and only sell two packs per customer."
The craze for World Cup stickers is not new, but it's being especially felt in Spain, which runs as one of the favourites for the Cup this year. But it's also being felt in other countries (the album is sold in 130 countries): "The sticker craze is the same; it's a situation that has overwhelmed us", admitted an executive from Panini Spain asked by RTVE.
How much would cost completing the World Cup 2026 sticker collection?
This year, with more teams (48 instead of the usual 32), the collection is larger: the album has 112 pages and 980 stickers, including 68 special stickers. With the album costing 5 euros and each pack of seven costing 1.5 euros, and using an algorithm to calculate duplicates, RTVE estimates that it would take 1,000 to 1,500 bags to find all the stickers, so over 1,500 euros.
Of course, collectors are encourage to trade duplicates, but with the massive size of the album, it would still cost a lot of money... which will make them into valuable collector's items in the future.