Neymar is left out of the 2026 World Cup album and Panini reveals selection criteria

Copa’s 2026 album release party took place this Saturday. Panini confirmed the list of players who will appear on the pages of the Brazilian team. Neymar does not appear among the 18 names chosen. The striker was present in the last three editions of the tournament and also in the corresponding albums.

The absence of the Santos player surprised many collectors. The Italian publisher decided on the names months before the final call. Coach Carlo Ancelotti will only release the official list on May 18th. Panini worked based on recent odds and calls.

Panini assembles Brasil list with probability criteria

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The selection of Brazilian athletes came from a specialized team at the Panini headquarters, at Itália. The company’s CEO at Brasil, Raul Vallecillo, explained the process in an interview. A department monitors the call-ups and calculates the chances of each player being in the Copa. Lesões and surprises could change the scenario, but the final decision follows these numbers.

• Alisson and Bento on targets
• Marquinhos, Éder Militão, Gabriel Magalhães, Danilo and Wesley in defense
• Casemiro, Lucas Paquetá and Bruno Guimarães in the middle
• Luiz Henrique, Vinícius Jr, Rodrygo, João Pedro, Matheus Cunha, Gabriel Martinelli, Raphinha and Estêvão in the attack

The list includes names that are experiencing good momentum, such as Vinícius Jr and Raphinha. Também has Rodrygo, who is facing injury, and Estêvão, recovering from a muscle problem. The production of stickers began in 2025, when the teams qualified. The arts were gradually released for manufacturing.

Última Neymar’s call-up was in 2023

Neymar competed in the 2014, 2018 and 2022 Copas. Ele appeared on all of Panini’s albums in these editions. The last call-up to the Brazilian team took place in October 2023. At the time, the striker was injured against Uruguai, in Montevidéu. Desde then, he was not called up again. Panini uses the most recent calls as its main reference. Jogadores with little recent presence are less likely to enter.

The album features 980 stickers in total. The collection grew due to the increase in the number of participating teams. Panini nearly doubled the size of the factory at Barueri to meet demand. Production operates in three shifts, 24 hours a day. Brasil is América Latina’s main market and receives locally produced material.

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Fábrica on Brasil meets América Latina

The country produces for the entire region, from México to Cone Sul. The local operation considers the size of the population and the passion for football. Crianças and adults collect the stickers. Demand explodes across online channels and physical stores. The album represents a mega cultural event at Brasil.

The company plans production four years in advance. Assim Once one Copa ends, work for the next one begins. The editorial concept and size of the collection are defined at the beginning. Para 2026, the challenge was greater because of the extra selections.

Preço and release date on Brasil

The book and stickers will be available from April 30th. Pre-sales are already taking place online. Cada package with seven stickers costs R$7. The Spanish version has already reached the European market and confirmed the absence of Neymar. The Brazilian edition maintains the same composition.

Special stickers, such as holographic ones, remain in the collection. Todas stickers are produced in the same quantity. The feeling of rarity comes from demand: popular players circulate less because fans keep them. Não there is a difference in production between the stickers.

What changes for collectors

Muitos fans are already commenting on the networks about the lack of Neymar. Outros celebrate the presence of young promises. The album serves as a barometer of expectations before the call-up. Panini remembers that changes may still occur until May. The important thing is that the collection arrives complete and updated for the biggest football event on the planet.