The FA to complete Panini collection

The Football Association (FA), the governing body of soccer in England, has agreed a four-year deal with collectible sticker and trading card company Panini.
 

The partnership will see members of the England national soccer team appear in their official kit in Panini sticker-book collections for the first time since Uefa Euro 1996.
 

The FA will create a 'swap shop' in the family enclosure of Wembley Stadium where fans can complete their collections, and experience the latest Panini products.
 

The England team will feature in a range of products sold across the world, featuring global stars such as Wayne Rooney, Joe Hart and Jack Wilshere. The first collectable series, following the team on their quest to qualify for UEFA Euro 2016 in France, will be distributed globally and will appeal to England fans everywhere.
 

In addition to traditional football stickers and trading cards, Panini's expansion in other product areas will bring the addition of an array of other merchandise, including 3D collectables, digital and multi-media format collections.
 

Stuart Turner, the commercial director of The FA, said: "As The FA continues to make significant moves on an international scale, the aligned global plans and expansion is a perfect fit. Working with Panini following their recent successes at the Fifa World Cup in 2014 is a particularly exciting opportunity for The FA.
 

"As the governing body of football, this partnership will enable The FA to invest in developing more opportunities for people of all ages to play at the grassroots as well as connecting fans with their England heroes - whether first-time or seasoned collectors."
 

Peter Warsop, the Panini group licensing director, added: "Panini is dedicated to its collectors and their aspirations to get authentic and official products; The FA agreement completes an important piece of the jigsaw in that as well as the official tournament rights, for such things as Euro 2016, England joins other federations to ensure 100 per cent authenticity."
 

Panini was founded in 1961 and now distributes to more than 120 countries.