Topps set out to launch the new Chelsea FC Team Set 2025/26 trading card collection in a way that went beyond a traditional product drop - creating a moment that felt authentic to the club, rooted in its heritage, and built for modern fan culture.
With rare access granted to Cobham, Chelsea’s iconic training ground and academy home, the opportunity was to bring hand-picked collectors and fans closer to the club - connecting the Team Set to Chelsea’s past, present and future through storytelling, creators and club legends.
Our task: turn exclusive access into compelling social-first content that felt real, intimate and culturally relevant to football fans and collectors alike.
We built an invite-only creator experience at Cobham, placing storytelling at the centre of the activation.
A curated group of Chelsea-focused creators were given behind-the-scenes access to the club’s training base - a setting synonymous with legendary players, academy success and the future of Chelsea FC.
At the heart of the experience was Chelsea legend Eidur Guðjohnsen, who helped anchor the narrative through authentic, conversational content - sharing memories, reacting to the new Team Set and engaging directly with creators and fans.
The day blended heritage, access and product in a natural way:
- Pack openings and live reactions to the new Team Set collection
- Creator-led storytelling around favourite Chelsea players, moments and academy graduates
- Conversations with club figures including former Chelsea Goalkeeper & Loan Player Technical Coach, Carlo Cudicini
- Meet & greet moments with select men’s and women’s first team players
- Live content via Fanatics Live and ongoing social capture
Rather than over-producing the moment, content was intentionally raw, creator-first and social-native - designed to feel like genuine access inside one of football’s most iconic environments.
The Cobham experience generated a strong wave of authentic creator content, bringing fans closer to Chelsea and the new Team Set through real access and storytelling.
To date, the activation has delivered:
35 creator posts across Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn
543K+ combined reach (and growing)
Consistent integration of Topps x Chelsea Team Set messaging and product visibility.
A second wave of hero content - including long-form creator videos featuring Eidur Guðjohnsen - is currently in production, with additional organic content expected as creators continue sharing post-event storytelling.
Beyond metrics, the activation successfully:
- Positioned the Team Set within Chelsea’s authentic club environment
- Created meaningful interaction between creators, club figures and players
- Delivered premium but natural content rooted in access, heritage and fan connection
Strengthened the partnership between Topps and Chelsea FC
