Panini's 2026 World Cup Album: Neymar Omitted, Ronaldo Included

Panini has released its highly anticipated 2026 World Cup sticker album, sparking excitement and debate among football fans worldwide. The album includes all 48 teams participating in the World Cup, but only has space for 18 players from each 26-man squad. This limitation has led to significant omissions, including Brazil's Neymar, despite his inclusion in the national squad by manager Carlo Ancelotti. The Italian brand prides itself on accuracy and reports an 88% success rate in representing the squads.

The process of selecting players for the album involves collaboration with national federations and consideration of various factors like playing time, form, and injuries. Despite Neymar's exclusion due to his injury history, other rising stars like Endrick of Real Madrid and Rayan of Bournemouth also did not make the cut. Instead, players like Joao Pedro and injured figures Estevao and Rodrygo are featured in Brazil's pages.

Image

Panini's decision-making process is described as collaborative yet challenging, with federations sometimes withholding full transparency on squad choices. Notably, Germany's decision to include Manuel Neuer, who had retired from international football, and exclude Marc-Andre ter Stegen, who was injured, surprised many, including Panini's own Daniele Castagna.

The album has increased in size, now containing 980 stickers, compared to the 670 in the previous edition. This expansion, coupled with higher sticker prices, makes completing the album a costly endeavor. To address this, Panini has increased the number of stickers per pack from five to seven. A $35 update set is also available for fans to add players who were initially missed.

Despite these challenges, the Panini sticker album remains a cherished part of World Cup culture, allowing fans to engage with the tournament in a unique and nostalgic way. The anticipation of filling up the album and trading duplicates continues to be a global phenomenon, as evidenced by a recent gathering of 8,000 collectors in Santiago, Chile.

---

Related Articles

1. Turkey's World Cup Hopes Dashed After Goalless Matches
2. Fans Celebrate England's 4-2 World Cup Win Over Croatia