Kylian Mbappé leaves Nike to sign partnership and take equity in Swiss sportswear brand On

Entry into football

Swiss sportswear brand On announced on Friday, 18 September 2026, that Real Madrid forward and French national team captain Kylian Mbappé has joined the company as a global ambassador and shareholder. The agreement marks the Zurich-based company's formal expansion into football footwear and apparel. Mbappé, 27, had been under contract with American apparel manufacturer Nike since 2006, when he signed his first sponsorship at age eight. That contract expired in the summer of 2026, prompting discussions with several sportswear manufacturers, including Adidas and Puma, before Mbappé agreed to terms with On. Financial terms of the agreement were not officially disclosed.

Mbappé explained his motivation for joining the Swiss manufacturer in a public statement released alongside the announcement.

From the beginning, what attracted me to On was the opportunity to build something completely new together that will help shape the game of tomorrow. I want to bring my experience and my perspective to what we create, push the boundaries of what is possible through innovation, and always stay true to the joy of football. We have a shared dream, and this is just the beginning.

Leadership roles and robotic footwear

As part of the corporate initiative, On appointed former France and Arsenal forward Thierry Henry as its director of football. Henry worked behind the scenes with On beginning in late 2025 to develop the company's football strategy and assisted in recruiting Mbappé. Mbappé will collaborate directly with product development teams to design, test, and evaluate upcoming footwear and apparel lines. On plans to release its first football boots to the commercial market in 2027, utilizing its proprietary Light Spray robotic manufacturing technology. The automated process produces footwear uppers without traditional seams, coatings, or adhesives.

Executive strategy and Nike response

David Allemann, co-founder and co-chief executive of On, emphasized that the brand aims to combine elite athletic performance with football culture across pitches, streets, and fashion runways.

Football does not need another sportswear brand that rehashes the same things. It needs new ideas and a challenge to what is possible. When we enter a sport, we want to be the brand of the future, through real innovation and contemporary design. Our ambition is to bring the On approach onto the pitch, the pavement, and the runway, uniting elite performance with the culture that surrounds this sport. With Kylian, we have the perfect partner to imagine what football can become.

Nike issued a statement recognizing the conclusion of its nearly two-decade relationship with Mbappé, noting pride in what the two parties achieved together on and off the pitch. Nike retains endorsement deals with other football stars, including Erling Haaland, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Mbappé's Real Madrid teammate Vinícius Júnior.

Athlete expansion roster

Founded in Switzerland in 2010, On originally concentrated on premium running shoes before entering competitive tennis in 2019 when 20-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer joined as an investor and shareholder. The company subsequently built an athletic roster featuring tennis players Iga Świątek and Ben Shelton. In late 2025, On signed 19-year-old Swiss international and FC Barcelona midfielder Sydney Schertenleib to a multi-year contract as part of its initial football investments. Mbappé, who won the World Cup in 2018 and holds the record with 22 career goals in World Cup tournament matches, becomes the brand's primary figurehead in the sport.