With the 2026 World Cup kicking off and the hustle and bustle of stadiums in North America these days, momentum is being renewed like never before in the sports collectibles market.
This extraordinary market is no longer just a passing obsession for amateurs and enthusiasts, but has officially turned into an investment asset class that generates enormous wealth for those who succeed in capturing it. In this unique world, the value of the piece is not related to its original material cost, but to the historical tale and the timeless human moment that documents it behind the net or on the podiums.
Historical Pieces on Display
International auction houses are gearing up to release historical pieces associated with the legends of the Round Witch, taking advantage of the global attention.
Attention is on Sotheby's auction of "The Beautiful Game", where the shirt of the late Brazilian legend Pele, which he wore in the 1958 World Cup final, is on display at an estimated value of more than $6 million, which saw the birth of his global stardom at the age of 17.
In the same context, the specialized house "Buds" is offering Pele's gold medal from the same tournament amid expectations that it will exceed $600,000, along with the 1966 medal of English goalkeeper Gordon Banks, and the shirt of goalkeeper Peter Shelton.
Record-breaking deals
The last few years have seen record sales of pieces that have completely changed the concept of sports investing before we get to the current World Cup.
Topping the list is Argentina legend Diego Maradona's shirt from the 1986 World Cup, which sold at Sotheby's auction in 2022 for $9.3 million, which saw his controversial goal known as the "Hand of God" followed by the "Goal of the Century".
In December 2023, a set of six shirts worn by Lionel Messi during Argentina's matches at the 2022 World Cup sold for $7.8 million.
And it wasn't just the shirts, as the ball used in the historic 1986 Argentina-England match sold for about $2.4 million.
Ironies and Inspiring Stories
Behind these million-dollar figures are strange stories and historical paradoxes: Maradona's historic shirt has remained in the possession of England player Steve Hodge for more than three decades, after he exchanged it with the Argentine star after the final whistle of that painful match for England, and the souvenir turned into a huge fortune after many years.
As for the historic ball for the same match, the Tunisian referee Ali Ben Nasser kept it for more than thirty years in his home before he decided to put it up for auction to manage millions of dollars on it and turn it into a real treasure.
Digital Verification Mechanisms
Due to the large amounts in circulation, the issue of verifying and documenting the authenticity of the holdings has become a very complex and delicate process.
The pieces are subjected to microscopic and historical examinations by specialized companies that review the record of the transmission of the piece between the owners and accurately compare the details of the fabric with photos and footage of the live matches.
For example, Sotheby's hired Resolution Photo Matching to conclusively verify that Maradona's shirt was the same as the one with which he scored the historic goals, using photo-matching techniques, especially since the Argentine star had swapped his shirt during the match.
The Concept of Investment Assets
A report issued by the Institute of Chartered Financial Analysts (CIA) in 2025 shows that sports holdings are now treated as a legally and financially recognized investment asset class.
Investors in this market are divided into two categories: strategic investors who focus on acquiring big star pieces to ensure that demand stabilizes and value grows gradually over time, and venture capitalists who bet early on the cards and shirts of up-and-coming players in the hope of making double-digit gains if their popularity rises in the future. The market is also expanding to include rare player cards, sticker albums and limited editions that derive their value from their high rarity and preservation status.
American Sports Challenge
Despite its overwhelming popularity around the world, soccer is still trying to catch up with the American sports that have historically dominated the rare collectibles market.
At the top of the list is baseball legend Babe Ruth's jersey from the 1932 Finals, which sold for $24.1 million in 2024, followed by Mickey Mantle's 1952 card that sold for $12.6 million, and basketball legend Michael Jordan's jersey from the 1998 Finals with a value of $10.1 million.
This American supremacy stems from a historical legacy of more than 150 years in the tradition of collecting promotional cards that began with tobacco companies in the 1860s.
A quantum leap is expected
The 2026 World Cup is expected to give soccer holdings an unprecedented boost to narrow the gap with U.S. sports.
The game benefits from the tournament being held on U.S. soil, as North America's soccer fan base has expanded by nearly 10.9% in recent years to more than 136 million people, according to Nielsen data.
The growing interest we see in the stands today opens the door wide to the emergence of a new generation of sports treasures; the matches that are being played now make the details of tomorrow's treasures that investors will compete for in the coming decades.
Comments (0)