Lewis-Skelly and Pires surprise fans at gallery in Shoreditch

The free-to-enter exhibition, which opens to the public today and for one day only, transforms Protein Studios into fourteen large-scale, immersive installations reimagining the most iconic football cards and stories in the hobby. It also marks the official launch of the hotly-anticipated 2025/26 Topps Chrome UCC card collection, dropping just ahead of the UEFA finals.

The exhibition features a series of curated installations from leading artists and collaborators in football culture (Image: Topps)

Pires was joined at the launch by Arsenal’s Myles Lewis-Skelly and a guestlist of familiar faces from football that underlined just how far card collecting has travelled from the schoolyard.

The exhibition features a series of curated installations from leading artists and collaborators in football culture, including The Goal Hanger, Ivan Beslic, Goal Frames and Classic Football Shirts. Highlights include:

• A “rookie bedroom” installation exploring the mindset of football’s next generation
• A Chrome infinity box, showcasing the depth and allure of the brand
• A large-scale anime-inspired ceiling installation, reimagining players in sketch-based artwork
• A display of ultra-rare 1/1 Topps Chrome cards, celebrating scarcity and value
• A live “box-breaking” experience, bringing the excitement of collecting into the gallery space

Each installation will feature rich storytelling, giving fans deeper insight into the game’s biggest players, most sought-after cards, and the elaborate creative process behind the collection.

Richard Horsted of The Goal Hanger, the curator behind the Topps Chrome Gallery, commented:

“What drew me to this project was the idea that a trading card is a genuinely beautiful, creative object. It carries history, scarcity, craft and meaning all at once. We wanted the Chrome Gallery to reflect that: to take the card out of the sleeve and into the space, and to let people feel the passion and beauty that collectors experience with every card. Every installation started with a card and became something much bigger. These are real stories, featuring the stars of football, told through the lens of the hobby.”

2025/26 Topps Chrome UCC is available now.