France: Fanatics (USA) to operate the stores and retail merchandising of the FFF until Euro 2028

Fanatics, an American manufacturer and distributor of licensed sports products, has become the "exclusive retail operator for the sale of FFF-licensed merchandising" until Euro 2028, announced the French Football Federation on 11/04/2023. This collaboration will begin on the occasion of the Women's World Cup 2023 (FIFA), to be held in Australia and New Zealand from 20/07 to 20/08/2023.

As part of this agreement, Fanatics is also in charge of operating the Federation's new online store, which will launch in the summer of 2023, as well as its physical store located in Paris (15^th arrondissement), thereby succeeding the Italian manufacturer of collectible cards and stickers Panini. "This is a key element of the FFF's international development strategy, especially in the lead-up to the 2026 World Cup," said François Vasseur, marketing director at the FFF.

However, Fanatics will not be the "official merchandising distributor" of the FFF, as it is for the Deutscher Fussball Bund (2019-2026). As part of its agreement with the DFB (renewed on 07/03/2023), the American company holds the…