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Kylian Mbappé is swapping Nike for On. On 18 September 2026, the Swiss brand announced that it is entering the football market with On Football, with Mbappé as its figurehead. That makes On Football far more than a side project from day one.
For Mbappé, the move ends a long spell with Nike. That relationship started when he was nine years old and ran through his entire professional career.
At On, he becomes a global ambassador. He works directly on the development and testing of future football boots and apparel. His role goes beyond the pitch, covering movement, performance and design as well.
According to Mbappé, what drew him in was the chance to build something entirely new at On, rather than continue an existing line.
On
On is keeping quiet about money. The brand does confirm that the deal includes both cash and equity.
Several outlets report a ten-year contract, but On itself has not confirmed that.
Mbappé is not doing this alone. Thierry Henry has been On's Director of Football since 2025, overseeing product, athlete relations and strategy.
Sydney Schertenleib, the Swiss midfielder at FC Barcelona Femení, also joins. She represents the women's game within the project.
On
Henry stresses that the team wants to listen to players first, so every boot adds something to the game.
An upper that gets sprayed on
On the technical side, On relies on LightSpray. In this process, a robotic arm sprays a single continuous thread of thermoplastic material around a last. The result is a seamless upper without separate panels or stitching.
On previously used the technique for running shoes, and TIME named LightSpray one of the best inventions of 2024. Now On Football applies the same principle to football boots.
According to On, that delivers an ultra-light upper that wraps the foot like a second skin. How that holds up on wet grass or during a hard strike is something only real-world use will show.
On
Prototypes have already appeared outside the design studio. Henry wore an all-white pair with black On branding during a farewell match in Metz.
On
Mbappé also appears in an early version, in the EA Sports FC 27 trailer.
EA Sports
It is a bold step. The football market is dominated by Nike, adidas and Puma.
On is taking the same route it took with Roger Federer in tennis: a long-term bond with one big name who helps shape the product.
When and where can you buy the On LightSpray football boot?
On is targeting 2027 for its first commercial football boots, both in stores and on the pitch.
A model name, exact release date and EU retail price have not been announced yet.
Until the first On Football boots arrive, you can already browse the current sneakers and runners from On. It shows you where the brand comes from.
Want to know when On's first football boot lands? Keep an eye on our release calendar.
