Kylian Mbappe's move from Nike to On gives the Swiss sportswear company something it cannot easily create through advertising alone: immediate credibility on the world's biggest football stage. But the partnership also exposes the scale of the challenge facing On as it attempts to enter a market dominated by established brands with decades of product development, player relationships, club contracts and cultural influence.
The agreement marks a major strategic expansion for On, which built its reputation primarily through running footwear before extending into tennis. The company has been developing its football business with Mbappe, former France international Thierry Henry and Swiss footballer Sydney Schertenleib, with its first football products scheduled for commercial release in 2027. On says the products are being developed around its LightSpray manufacturing technology and input from the players.
Mbappe's involvement gives that new category an unusually strong starting point. He has spent two decades associated with Nike and has become one of the most recognisable footballers of his generation. Moving him to a brand that has never previously sold football boots at scale gives On an opportunity to introduce itself to consumers through an athlete who already possesses global visibility. The more difficult task will be converting that visibility into sustained demand for products that have yet to reach the market.
On Needs Football for More Than Publicity
On's decision to enter football comes at an important stage in its own development. The company has established a distinctive position in premium running footwear and has expanded into other sports, including tennis through its relationship with Roger Federer. Football offers a much larger global cultural platform, but it also demands capabilities that differ from those required to succeed in running shoes.
Football footwear is a highly specialised performance category. Players require traction, stability, ball control, weight reduction and a fit capable of handling rapid changes of direction. Professional players also have established preferences developed through years of competition. Winning attention from consumers therefore requires more than associating a product with a famous player. The product itself has to establish credibility among athletes who may be reluctant to change footwear that they already trust.
On appears to recognise this problem by involving its football partners in product development rather than treating them solely as advertising ambassadors. The company says Mbappe, Henry and Schertenleib have been working on future products, including football-specific stud configurations and fit requirements. Its first products are expected to reach consumers in 2027.
That approach could help On avoid one of the common problems faced by companies entering established sports categories: assuming that an existing product philosophy can simply be transferred to another sport. Running technology can provide useful expertise, but football places different demands on footwear and requires a different relationship between athlete, boot and playing surface.
Mbappe Solves the Visibility Problem First
The immediate benefit of the partnership is therefore easier to identify than its eventual commercial return. Mbappe gives On global exposure before the company has even launched its first football boot. Every appearance in an On product can function as an introduction to the brand for football audiences that may know the company primarily for running shoes.
This is particularly valuable because On is attempting to change how consumers perceive the company. Its association with running remains strong, while football is dominated by Nike, Adidas and Puma, each of which has spent decades developing relationships with elite players, national teams, clubs and grassroots programmes.
On's official football strategy already extends beyond Mbappe. The company has also brought in Henry and Schertenleib to help develop its products, giving the new division experience across different generations and parts of the game. That suggests the company is attempting to build a football identity rather than simply attach its name to one superstar.
However, the concentration of attention around Mbappe also creates a potential weakness. If consumers associate On football overwhelmingly with one player, the brand may struggle to establish an identity that remains strong beyond his individual career and commercial appeal. Long-term sportswear success generally requires a broader ecosystem of athletes, teams and products.
Technology Must Become Visible on the Pitch
On's other major argument is technology. The company is adapting its LightSpray manufacturing process, originally developed for running footwear, for football. It says the process can produce a lightweight upper from a sprayed thread and is being adapted for football-specific requirements. The company is testing both laced and non-laced designs as part of the development process.
That technological proposition could give On a meaningful point of differentiation if the final product delivers measurable performance benefits. Yet technology in sports footwear is difficult to sell on engineering claims alone. Professional athletes and consumers ultimately judge footwear through comfort, reliability, traction, durability and performance.
This is why the 2027 launch will be more important than the announcement of the Mbappe partnership itself. A celebrity can generate attention for a new category, but the product has to create reasons for consumers to return. If On can establish a clear performance advantage while retaining its premium design identity, football could become a credible second major growth platform. If not, the partnership could remain primarily a marketing success.
Breaking Into Football Requires Scale
The competitive structure of football makes the challenge particularly demanding. Nike and Adidas have extensive relationships across elite football, while Puma has also established a substantial presence among players and teams. Their businesses benefit from years of accumulated visibility, distribution and consumer familiarity.
On therefore cannot approach football as if it were simply another extension of its running business. The company needs specialist distribution, relationships with clubs and players, football-specific product lines and enough marketing investment to remain visible after the initial excitement surrounding Mbappe fades.
There is also a pricing question. On has positioned itself toward the premium end of sportswear, and that strategy has supported its distinctive brand identity. Football, however, contains a broad consumer base ranging from elite professionals to young players and recreational participants. Expanding the category without weakening the premium positioning will require careful product segmentation.
The timing also matters because On is entering football while facing broader growth questions. The Americas remain its largest market, accounting for more than half of revenue, but recent performance there has been less consistent. Reuters reported that On shares had fallen substantially during 2026 as investors became more concerned about growth.
That makes football strategically important without making it an immediate solution. The first products will not arrive until 2027, meaning the company will need to continue managing its existing business while investing in a new category whose commercial outcome remains uncertain.
The Underlying Test Is Repeat Demand
Mbappe's transfer demonstrates that On can compete for elite sports talent. The more important question is whether it can build an entire commercial system around that talent. The company already has one relevant example from tennis. Its partnership with Federer helped establish credibility beyond running and gave On a powerful connection with a globally recognised athlete. Football presents a much larger opportunity but also a much tougher competitive environment.
The company is now trying to use the same broad formula while adding greater technological differentiation. Its stated plan combines elite-player input, engineering and premium design, with LightSpray positioned as a central element of the new football proposition.
That creates a clear sequence for judging the strategy. Mbappe can create awareness. Product innovation can create interest. Professional adoption can create credibility. Wider distribution and competitive pricing can create accessibility. Repeat purchases can ultimately determine whether the category becomes a sustainable source of growth.
The first stage has already been achieved with considerable visibility. The remaining stages will depend much less on the celebrity attached to the brand and much more on whether On can persuade football players that its products deserve a place alongside the established choices.
On's entry into football is therefore not simply an endorsement deal. It is a test of whether a brand that built its identity around running can transfer its reputation for design and innovation into one of the most established and competitive sportswear categories. Mbappe gives On an exceptional platform from which to attempt that transition, but the commercial result will depend on what the company puts on the player's feet when the publicity gives way to the product.
(Source:www.reuters.com)
The agreement marks a major strategic expansion for On, which built its reputation primarily through running footwear before extending into tennis. The company has been developing its football business with Mbappe, former France international Thierry Henry and Swiss footballer Sydney Schertenleib, with its first football products scheduled for commercial release in 2027. On says the products are being developed around its LightSpray manufacturing technology and input from the players.
Mbappe's involvement gives that new category an unusually strong starting point. He has spent two decades associated with Nike and has become one of the most recognisable footballers of his generation. Moving him to a brand that has never previously sold football boots at scale gives On an opportunity to introduce itself to consumers through an athlete who already possesses global visibility. The more difficult task will be converting that visibility into sustained demand for products that have yet to reach the market.
On Needs Football for More Than Publicity
On's decision to enter football comes at an important stage in its own development. The company has established a distinctive position in premium running footwear and has expanded into other sports, including tennis through its relationship with Roger Federer. Football offers a much larger global cultural platform, but it also demands capabilities that differ from those required to succeed in running shoes.
Football footwear is a highly specialised performance category. Players require traction, stability, ball control, weight reduction and a fit capable of handling rapid changes of direction. Professional players also have established preferences developed through years of competition. Winning attention from consumers therefore requires more than associating a product with a famous player. The product itself has to establish credibility among athletes who may be reluctant to change footwear that they already trust.
On appears to recognise this problem by involving its football partners in product development rather than treating them solely as advertising ambassadors. The company says Mbappe, Henry and Schertenleib have been working on future products, including football-specific stud configurations and fit requirements. Its first products are expected to reach consumers in 2027.
That approach could help On avoid one of the common problems faced by companies entering established sports categories: assuming that an existing product philosophy can simply be transferred to another sport. Running technology can provide useful expertise, but football places different demands on footwear and requires a different relationship between athlete, boot and playing surface.
Mbappe Solves the Visibility Problem First
The immediate benefit of the partnership is therefore easier to identify than its eventual commercial return. Mbappe gives On global exposure before the company has even launched its first football boot. Every appearance in an On product can function as an introduction to the brand for football audiences that may know the company primarily for running shoes.
This is particularly valuable because On is attempting to change how consumers perceive the company. Its association with running remains strong, while football is dominated by Nike, Adidas and Puma, each of which has spent decades developing relationships with elite players, national teams, clubs and grassroots programmes.
On's official football strategy already extends beyond Mbappe. The company has also brought in Henry and Schertenleib to help develop its products, giving the new division experience across different generations and parts of the game. That suggests the company is attempting to build a football identity rather than simply attach its name to one superstar.
However, the concentration of attention around Mbappe also creates a potential weakness. If consumers associate On football overwhelmingly with one player, the brand may struggle to establish an identity that remains strong beyond his individual career and commercial appeal. Long-term sportswear success generally requires a broader ecosystem of athletes, teams and products.
Technology Must Become Visible on the Pitch
On's other major argument is technology. The company is adapting its LightSpray manufacturing process, originally developed for running footwear, for football. It says the process can produce a lightweight upper from a sprayed thread and is being adapted for football-specific requirements. The company is testing both laced and non-laced designs as part of the development process.
That technological proposition could give On a meaningful point of differentiation if the final product delivers measurable performance benefits. Yet technology in sports footwear is difficult to sell on engineering claims alone. Professional athletes and consumers ultimately judge footwear through comfort, reliability, traction, durability and performance.
This is why the 2027 launch will be more important than the announcement of the Mbappe partnership itself. A celebrity can generate attention for a new category, but the product has to create reasons for consumers to return. If On can establish a clear performance advantage while retaining its premium design identity, football could become a credible second major growth platform. If not, the partnership could remain primarily a marketing success.
Breaking Into Football Requires Scale
The competitive structure of football makes the challenge particularly demanding. Nike and Adidas have extensive relationships across elite football, while Puma has also established a substantial presence among players and teams. Their businesses benefit from years of accumulated visibility, distribution and consumer familiarity.
On therefore cannot approach football as if it were simply another extension of its running business. The company needs specialist distribution, relationships with clubs and players, football-specific product lines and enough marketing investment to remain visible after the initial excitement surrounding Mbappe fades.
There is also a pricing question. On has positioned itself toward the premium end of sportswear, and that strategy has supported its distinctive brand identity. Football, however, contains a broad consumer base ranging from elite professionals to young players and recreational participants. Expanding the category without weakening the premium positioning will require careful product segmentation.
The timing also matters because On is entering football while facing broader growth questions. The Americas remain its largest market, accounting for more than half of revenue, but recent performance there has been less consistent. Reuters reported that On shares had fallen substantially during 2026 as investors became more concerned about growth.
That makes football strategically important without making it an immediate solution. The first products will not arrive until 2027, meaning the company will need to continue managing its existing business while investing in a new category whose commercial outcome remains uncertain.
The Underlying Test Is Repeat Demand
Mbappe's transfer demonstrates that On can compete for elite sports talent. The more important question is whether it can build an entire commercial system around that talent. The company already has one relevant example from tennis. Its partnership with Federer helped establish credibility beyond running and gave On a powerful connection with a globally recognised athlete. Football presents a much larger opportunity but also a much tougher competitive environment.
The company is now trying to use the same broad formula while adding greater technological differentiation. Its stated plan combines elite-player input, engineering and premium design, with LightSpray positioned as a central element of the new football proposition.
That creates a clear sequence for judging the strategy. Mbappe can create awareness. Product innovation can create interest. Professional adoption can create credibility. Wider distribution and competitive pricing can create accessibility. Repeat purchases can ultimately determine whether the category becomes a sustainable source of growth.
The first stage has already been achieved with considerable visibility. The remaining stages will depend much less on the celebrity attached to the brand and much more on whether On can persuade football players that its products deserve a place alongside the established choices.
On's entry into football is therefore not simply an endorsement deal. It is a test of whether a brand that built its identity around running can transfer its reputation for design and innovation into one of the most established and competitive sportswear categories. Mbappe gives On an exceptional platform from which to attempt that transition, but the commercial result will depend on what the company puts on the player's feet when the publicity gives way to the product.
(Source:www.reuters.com)
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