Originally published at The Crux
Read more...
SÃO PAULO – Across Latin America, where soccer is the most popular sport, people have been eagerly following the World Cup.
Collecting stickers is a central part of the excitement for millions of children – and even many adults. This year, however, it has become more difficult for fans to complete their albums.
Not only does it feature special stickers throughout, but the number of national teams participating in the tournament has also increased to 48. Since 1998, 32 countries have taken part in the World Cup; before that, the number was 24.
According to Panini, the Italy-based publisher that holds the exclusive rights to produce the FIFA World Cup sticker album, the 2026 edition contains 980 stickers. Across the region, each seven-sticker pack is officially sold for $1.40. The minimum cost to complete the album would therefore be $196, but duplicate stickers drive the final cost much higher.
National economic difficulties make the situation even worse. In Argentina, for instance, the price of the album itself rose from 50 pesos during the 2018 World Cup in Russia to 150 pesos during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, and now stands at 15,000 pesos, according to Spanish-language news portal
