Nike has launched Rip the Script, its manifesto for the 2026 World Cup: not just a film, but a gateway to an expanding universe that will unfold throughout the summer across sport, music, fashion and pop culture. And if you’ve already been following what Nike has built around the FIFA World Cup 2026 here and here, this is the chapter that ties it all together.
At the heart of Rip the Script is a precise idea: football only means something when it’s instinctive. The film, shot inside a Hollywood mega-studio, brings together the stars of contemporary football — Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappé, Erling Haaland and Vini Jr. — alongside legends such as Eric Cantona, Ronaldinho, Zlatan Ibrahimović, Didier Drogba and Jorge Campos. Around them, a series of cameos that reach well beyond football: LeBron James, Travis Scott, Kim Kardashian, Channing Tatum, Young Miko and LISA. A deliberate choice, not a casual one. “We knew that Kim, for example, takes her son Saint to football practice, so we built an entire ‘soccer mom’ persona around her,” said Enrico Balleri, VP and Creative Director at Nike. “In future extensions of the film, we’ll build and deepen that storyline.”
Rip the Script is not a campaign in the traditional sense, but the entry point to a narrative universe that will evolve over time, with new chapters, easter eggs and content designed to be clipped, shared and worn. A story fans don’t just watch — one they can make their own.
Around the film, Nike has built an articulated system. On the pitch, the new federation kits integrate Aero-FIT performance cooling technology with an in-depth exploration of each national team’s cultural identity. On feet, the football boot lineup targets speed, precision and dribbling with the Mercurial Vapor 17, Mercurial Superfly 11, Phantom 6 and Tiempo Maestro. Off the pitch, the X2 collections reinterpret national pride through the lens of local designers and artists, while the Cryoshot and Mad 90 Pack transform iconic football boots into street-ready sneakers. In Mexico and Latin America, the Tercer Tiempo F.C. and Amor & Furia collections translate match day energy into pieces made to be worn wherever the game is lived.
Throughout the tournament, Nike will refresh more than 5,000 retail locations worldwide. Among the most interesting initiatives: the House of Merc in New York, with Pro:Direct at 21 Mercer; Estadio Niky’s in Los Angeles, featuring a built pitch, hyperlocal customization and a Mercurial football lab; and The Roof At Vanta in Dallas, in partnership with soccer.com.
