Upper Deck Named Official Memorabilia Home for U.S. Soccer Amid World Cup Action

[ASFN Admin]

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Right as international soccer takes center stage, Upper Deck is making a massive power play on the pitch.

On Tuesday, June 16, 2026, the sports collectibles leader will officially announce a landmark licensing agreement with U.S. Soccer and the U.S. National Soccer Team Players Association (USNSTPA), designating Upper Deck as the official home for premium and authentic memorabilia for both the USMNT and USWNT.

The multi-year deal marks a major reintroduction of Upper Deck to the sport, expanding its presence in the global soccer market. Mantel sat down with Gabe Garcia, Senior Director of Upper Deck Authenticated, and reviewed the official launch details to break down the product rollouts, real-time drops, and the ironclad authentication process backing the new collection.

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The Anchor: Alex Morgan, Trinity Rodman, and ‘American Glory’​

While the men are currently commanding the spotlight on the pitch, Upper Deck is anchoring its multi-year soccer strategy around two of the biggest names in the women’s game: icon and former USWNT captain Alex Morgan, alongside rising superstar Trinity Rodman.

“Alex is an exclusive spokesperson for Upper Deck, and having her at the centerfold was a key point of moving forward with U.S. Soccer,” Garcia explained. “Lining Trinity up with Alex—combining one of the best young players with arguably the best veteran national player—was a no-brainer from our end.”

To celebrate the partnership, the initial rollout features a headline dual-signed print titled ‘American Glory’, which features both Morgan and Rodman sharing the pitch for Team USA.

The individual premium collections, available for pre-order starting Tuesday at 9:00 AM EST, feature highly specific, museum-tier assets:

• 
  The Alex Morgan Collection: Focuses heavily on her historic legacy with the USWNT. It includes hand-signed and inscribed jerseys detailing her career highs, featuring specific inscriptions like “2x US Soccer POY” and “123 Career Goals”, as well as signed Team USA Olympics canvas posters and a signed USWNT warm-up jacket.
  
  
• 
  The Trinity Rodman Collection: Captures the electrifying start to her international career. The pre-order drop includes several signed USWNT home and away jerseys, alongside multiple signed prints celebrating defining moments, including her gold medal run at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
  

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Upper Deck: Signed Alex Morgan and Trinity Rodman print numbered to 50

Real-Time World Cup Drops for the USMNT​

For the ongoing Men’s World Cup, Upper Deck is using a hyper-reactive logistical approach to capture defining moments on the field as they happen.

The company has rolled out a line of 8×10 photo prints on their online storefront. There are currently 16 unique prints available, with Upper Deck planning to add roughly 5 to 10 new moments per game, depending entirely on what the action gives. Following last Friday’s high-scoring four-goal matchup, a new wave of real-time prints is already live.

While current USMNT offerings are focused on these immediate, match prints, Garcia confirmed that hand-signed memorabilia from the men’s side is actively being pursued. Upper Deck intends to sign multiple players from the men’s roster in the near future as they build momentum heading into next year’s Women’s World Cup in Brazil. Garcia referenced Upper Deck’s previous relationship with Landon Donovan on what fans might be able to expect down the road.

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Upper Deck: Signed Alex Morgan print from her game winning goal in the 2019 semifinal

The Gold Standard: Inside the 5-Step Authentication Process​

As the popularity of sports memorabilia continues to flourish, driven by the massive cultural footprint of icons like LeBron James, Tiger Woods, and soccer legend Landon Donovan, protecting alternative asset investments from sophisticated forgers has become a top priority for collectors.

To combat this, Upper Deck is bringing its patented, industry-leading 5-Step Authentication Process to the entire U.S. Soccer portfolio to guarantee absolute provenance.

“The number one part of that system is that we witness every single signature from our athletes,” Garcia emphasized. “It has revolutionized the authenticity of the program for many years, and it’s still standing because we can give security to the collectors that an Upper Deck representative was physically there.”

The ironclad chain of custody operates under a strict five-step protocol:

1. 
   The Witnessed Autograph: Every single signature is physically witnessed by an official Upper Deck Authenticated representative.
   
   
2. 
   Dual-Signed Record: A formal record of the session and the specific item is signed by both the athlete and the Upper Deck official, which is then stored securely in a permanent archive.
   
   
3. 
   Serial-Numbered Hologram: A tamper-proof, serial-numbered hologram is permanently affixed directly to each signed piece of U.S. Soccer memorabilia.
   
   
4. 
   Certificate of Authenticity: Every item is assigned a formal Certificate of Authenticity featuring a hologram that perfectly matches the serial number on the autographed piece.
   
   
5. 
   Fulfillment & Registration: Every piece of signed memorabilia is packaged with an official registration card. This allows the owner to register the item with Upper Deck Authenticated, creating a detailed, searchable record of the item’s history if it is ever sold or transferred to a new collector in the secondary market.
   

How to Buy​

The real-time USMNT World Cup match prints are ready for immediate purchase, while the premium autographed pieces from Alex Morgan and Trinity Rodman will open for official pre-orders. All items can be found by visiting UpperDeck.com.

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