Following in the footsteps of Major League Baseball, newcomers to Major League Soccer in 2024 will wear a special debut patch in their first game, which will then go into a special series of trading cards.
MLS announced the debut patches on Wednesday, February 21 — the same day as the first game of the 2024 regular season between Inter Miami and Real Salt Lake. They’ll be worn by players making their MLS debuts — whether they’ve transferred to an MLS team or risen through the ranks of a team’s academy — on the upper right chest of their jerseys, above the Adidas logo if it’s placed there (some 2024 MLS kits have Adidas logos and club crests in the middle of the chest).
After the player’s first match, the debut patch will be removed and send to trading card company Topps to be inserted into a one-of-one trading card.
Topps MLS Debut Patch Autograph cards will then be included in Topps products by the end of the year. Players who make their debuts by April 1 will have their patch card inserts into a 2024 Topps MLS card. Debuts later than that will have to wait until 2025.
With the Topps MLS Debut Patch Autograph trading cards, fans can collect and be part of a special milestone in a player’s career. This unique program underscores the League’s commitment to partnering on the creation of innovative products that strengthen the connection between players and fans.
— MLSSoccer.com