Swiss sportswear giant On has officially marked its strategic entry into the global football market, announcing a high-profile partnership with French international football star Kylian Mbappé. The collaboration, confirmed on 18 September 2026, represents a significant pivot for the Zurich-based brand, which has historically focused on high-performance running, trail, and lifestyle footwear. By aligning with one of the most recognizable athletes in the world, On is signaling its intent to challenge the long-standing dominance of industry incumbents like Nike, Adidas, and Puma within the professional football landscape.
A Strategic Pivot for On
The partnership with Mbappé is not merely a brand endorsement; it is a calculated entry into a multi-billion-dollar vertical. On, which went public in 2021, has experienced meteoric growth through its proprietary CloudTec cushioning technology and a strong foothold in the "athleisure" market. However, expanding into football—the world’s most popular sport—requires a different level of technical rigor.
For On, the move is consistent with its broader diversification strategy. Since its inception in 2010 by former professional triathlete Olivier Bernhard and his partners, the brand has methodically expanded its catalog from road racing shoes to tennis, training, and hiking. Football represents the final frontier for a brand aspiring to become a comprehensive performance powerhouse. By securing Mbappé, On gains instant credibility and a direct line to the sport’s massive demographic of younger fans.
Chronology of Expansion
On’s journey toward the football pitch has been characterized by a "test and learn" approach to product development.
- 2010–2015: Foundation years, focusing exclusively on revolutionizing running biomechanics.
- 2016–2019: Expansion into lifestyle footwear, broadening the brand’s appeal beyond elite athletes to casual consumers.
- 2020–2023: Strategic investments in high-profile talent across diverse sports, including tennis legend Roger Federer, who became an entrepreneur-partner in the firm.
- 2024: Internal development of specialized turf-traction technology and lightweight, high-energy-return materials suitable for the demands of 90-minute matches.
- 2025: Soft testing of performance footwear with youth academies and select professional athletes in private trials.
- September 2026: Formal entry into the market via the global unveiling of the Kylian Mbappé partnership.
Market Data and Competitive Context
The global football footwear market is a saturated, high-barrier-to-entry arena. Data suggests that the market size for football boots is expected to exceed $4.5 billion by 2030, driven by the increasing professionalization of women’s football and the rapid growth of the sport in North American and Asian markets.
Historically, the "Big Three"—Nike, Adidas, and Puma—have controlled an estimated 80% of the professional player market. For a newcomer like On, the challenge lies not only in the technology—which must offer explosive acceleration, lateral stability, and protection against high-impact surfaces—but in the supply chain and distribution networks.
On’s financial performance leading up to this launch provides a strong foundation for such an ambitious endeavor. In the fiscal year 2025, the brand reported net sales exceeding CHF 2.5 billion, representing a year-on-year growth rate that consistently outperformed the broader sportswear sector. This capital liquidity allows On to invest heavily in the research and development required to make a competitive football boot, as well as the marketing budget necessary to compete with the established legacy brands.
Official Responses and Brand Positioning
While the official press release focused on the synergy between Mbappé’s speed and On’s engineering, analysts have noted the strategic significance of the timing.
"This is not a traditional sponsorship," said a lead analyst at a global retail consultancy. "On is positioning itself as a premium, performance-first alternative. By choosing an athlete of Mbappé’s caliber, they are effectively bypassing the ‘challenger brand’ phase and moving straight to a premium market position. They are betting that the modern football consumer is looking for innovation that breaks from the aesthetic established by the incumbents over the last three decades."
In a brief statement provided at the launch, a spokesperson for On noted: "Our entry into football is the culmination of years of biomechanical research. We did not want to enter this space until we could provide a product that genuinely enhances the performance of the world’s elite players. Kylian’s feedback during the development phase was instrumental in refining our traction profiles and upper-material durability."
Implications for the Sportswear Landscape
The entry of On into football is expected to trigger a period of increased innovation across the industry. When a brand with On’s engineering pedigree enters a new category, incumbents are forced to accelerate their own R&D cycles.
Furthermore, the partnership highlights a shift in how athletes view their sponsorship portfolios. Mbappé, who has previously maintained long-term associations with legacy brands, is now lending his name to a company that characterizes itself as a technology-led innovator. This suggests that top-tier athletes are increasingly valuing equity and collaborative product development over simple logo placement.
For the retail market, the implications are equally significant. Retailers who have traditionally stocked only the major football brands will now face pressure to dedicate floor space to On’s emerging football line. This could lead to a reshuffling of shelf-space dominance in major sporting goods retailers across Europe and South America.
Sustainability and Technical Innovation
A core component of On’s brand identity is its focus on sustainability. As the football world faces increasing pressure to reduce the environmental impact of synthetic turf and microplastics found in traditional boot materials, On’s reputation for using circular materials and sustainable manufacturing processes could become a distinct competitive advantage.
The company has invested heavily in "Cyclon," a subscription-based, fully recyclable shoe program. Observers are watching closely to see if this circular business model will be adapted for the football boot market. If On can prove that a high-performance football boot can be produced with a lower carbon footprint than those of its competitors, it could capture a significant segment of the market, particularly among younger, climate-conscious consumers.
Long-term Outlook
As On moves forward, the primary metric for success will be the adoption rate among professional players across Europe’s top-five leagues. While Mbappé serves as the face of the brand, the company will likely need to build a broader stable of athletes to achieve the "critical mass" required to challenge Nike or Adidas for team kit sponsorships.
The partnership with Mbappé serves as a powerful proof of concept. If the technology performs well on the world’s biggest stages—including upcoming international tournaments—On is well-positioned to disrupt the status quo. The coming months will likely see the rollout of the first commercial football boot models, accompanied by a global marketing campaign that emphasizes technical superiority and a minimalist design philosophy.
Ultimately, the entry of On into football underscores a broader trend of market disruption where specialized, technology-driven companies leverage high-performance credentials to challenge legacy manufacturers. By targeting the intersection of peak athletic performance and modern aesthetic sensibilities, On is attempting to redefine what a football boot can be. Whether the brand can successfully transition from the track to the pitch remains the defining question of the next fiscal year, but with the support of one of football’s greatest icons, the stage is set for a significant shift in the sportswear competitive hierarchy.
