Panini: First Women's Super League sticker album launches

You've been able to swap stickers of your favourite players in the top division of the men's game for over 50 years.

Now for the first time, fans of the Women's Super League (WSL) can too.

The FA has partnered with Italian sticker company Panini for the album, which holds nearly 350 stickers.

Manchester City and England striker Chloe Kelly said it's a "huge moment" for players and will "inspire the next generation of girls".

"I always had the sticker books growing up, it was always exciting going to the shop to buy them," the 25-year-old told Newsbeat.

"I was always in the school playground looking for swaps, it was really the in thing when I was in school.

"To be here today to see myself as a Panini sticker is incredible.

"For young girls now to buy that sticker book, and see what we've achieved. They can look at themselves and be like: 'I can be in that sticker book'."

Fans and players gathered at Manchester's National Football Museum on Wednesday evening for the official launch of the album.

The WSL, which started in 2011, had almost 100 players representing their nations at the recent Women's World Cup - the most of any league in the world.

The Women's Super League sticker book holds nearly 350 stickers

Last season saw attendances rise by 170% and was followed this summer by European champions England reaching the World Cup final.

For Manchester United and England striker Nikita Parris, seeing herself in the sticker book was "surreal".

"I remember trading these stickers as a kid and going to the shop with your 50ps to buy a pack," she said.

"Representation for young aspiring footballers is massive - you want to believe you can achieve that dream. When you see someone you want to be just like, it gives you that extra motivation.

"I'm sure the stickers will be the next thing we're signing."

Panini, who have been publishing sticker albums since 1970, first created a women's football collection for the 2011 World Cup.

Rivals on the pitch, Chloe Kelly and Nikita Parris stood in front of their cards together at the sticker book launch in Manchester

Last year, they launched their first women's domestic football collection for Spain's top-flight Liga F and also made a sticker book for the Women's World Cup earlier this year.

The new WSL sticker album will feature players and icons of the league and include 12 shiny foil stickers from all 12 teams.

Manchester City fan Charlotte Wilkins, collected stickers for the World Cup this year - and said swapping them online and at games created "a great community".

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"I can't believe in 2023 this is the first women's league sticker book and the first time we're going to have women's clubs having a sticker book is just so exciting," the 30-year-old said.

"It just shows the growth of women's football. During the summer I went into shops and asked 'do you have the World Cup sticker box?' - and they have no idea what I was after.

"I'm excited to go in and not have them look at me like I'm crazy."

Emily Cullen said the sticker book reflects the growth of the women's game

Emily Cullen, 21, hopes the stickers will mean female players get the same recognition as men.

"It's obviously super-exciting to just see the growth of the game reflected in different ways," said the Arsenal fan.

Katie Gritt, head of marketing of sport at Panini said the sticker book was something they had been talking about "for a number of years".

"If we launched it too early and it didn't work then it would be very difficult to get support for the collection again," she said.

"There's been a number of conversations over a number of years now to make sure that this is the right time.

"It's a real privilege for us to play our part in bringing the women's game even closer to the fans."

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