Pink cleats are taking over the 2026 World Cup — and the stars are all wearing them

Gio Reyna of the United States scored a memorable goal in the season opener. Kylian Mbappé of France became his country's all-time leading scorer. Harry Kane of England matched his national team's all-time scoring record.

The breakout stars of the 2026 North America World Cup have something in common: they are all wearing pink cleats.

Pink has taken over the pitches across all three host nations — the United States, Canada and Mexico. Several major sports brands released pink cleats ahead of the tournament, and the color has spread across the field as dozens of players have taken to wearing them.

According to the AP, every major brand at this World Cup — Nike, Adidas, Puma, Skechers and New Balance — has released a pink cleat.

Mbappé and Brazil's Vinícius Júnior are both wearing Nike's pink model, as is Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo. Reyna and France's Ousmane Dembélé are in Adidas, while Kane's cleats are made by Skechers.

The color has drawn even more attention as players wearing pink cleats have delivered standout performances throughout the tournament.

Sweden's national team, for instance, scored five goals against Tunisia, three of which came from players wearing pink cleats.

Pink is not, of course, directly responsible for a player's performance. But industry insiders say players have embraced the color as a symbol of confidence, and that when combined with the technology built into the boots, the effect has been positive.

Nike's global footwear director told the AP that players see pink as a symbol of confidence and individuality. "Technology matters, but the fact that players feel fast and almost weightless when they put on the boots — that itself has a positive impact on performance," the director said. "Everything works together."