More fun than you can shake a sticker at...

COLLECTABLE FOOTIE PACKS STILL SCORE HIGH IN TODAY'S ONLINE WORLD

- CHARLOTTE HENRY

Football stickers have brought joy to millions for decades — especially since Panini started making World Cup sticker books for the 1970 tournament in Mexico.

Now the publishers are preparing to end their 60-year partnership with FIFA, with their contract moving to collectables brand Topps.

CHARLOTTE HENRY looks at what makes the hobby so popular in today's online world...

GOT... Got... NEED! It's a refrain that's been heard on playgrounds across the world for decades, as kids hammer out deals for football stickers.

With World Cup 2026 well underway, and a whopping 48 teams in the tournament, there are more players involved than ever before. And that means more stickers to collect.

Surprisingly, one of the best places to do that is Selfridges in London.

The upmarket department store, usually associated with designer clothing and posh perfumes, is currently a hub for collectors from around the planet.

Sticker-makers Panini have launched a pop-up shop in their Oxford Street flagship store, opened earlier this month by former England striker Emile Heskey. It will be open throughout the World Cup and beyond, at least until the end of July.

When we show up, staff reveal some of the special products launched for the store sold out in a matter of days.

Brand specialist Nathania Jones, who is helping manage the site, announced proudly: "We've actually sold through our exclusives." One premium pack even "sold out in the first day".

At the heart of the space is a table with stickers spilled across it.

People are spread around, trading with each other. Those that have never met before are bonding, socialising, and recreating the swapsies scenes we all remember.