New Balance Football Is Ready to Leave a Mark Beyond the 2026 World Cup™

Quick Fire° Facts

• New Balance first entered football in the early 1980s with the help of england's bryan robson

• The brand officially re-entered the sport in 2015

• Its current roster of athletes include Bukayo saka, Eberechi Eze, Endrick, Timothy Weah, Yunus Musah & Yan Diomande

• The 2026 World Cup™ will be important for new balance, which will launch new product & make a big push in football

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If someone were to ask you, 'What's the first thing you think of when you hear the word "football" ("soccer," for some)?', there's a high chance you'd answer with the name of a player, the club you follow, or an important tournament.

What's also likely is that you wouldn't think "New Balance," but the brand is trying to change that.

How?: By building upon a longstanding (albeit forgotten) connection to the sport; improving upon performance product introduced to market in 2015; partnering with storied clubs and federations; and sponsoring elite footballers from across the globe.

The Boston-based institution has been making inroads within "the beautiful game" over the last 10 years, but its boldest statement is arriving just in time for the 2026 World Cup™ tournament—an event that will see seven games played in New Balance's backyard (Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts).

New Balance Football History

Although the brand is betting big on its football program due to the global attention currently being paid to the sport, New Balance first entered the game in the early 1980s.

The brand experienced a boom in popularity a decade earlier thanks to successful running product like the New Balance 320 (1976). Having already begun to offer models for other sports by then, the company wouldn't enter the world of global football until after it had established manufacturing factories in Flimby, Cumbria, England. The overseas operation is still responsible for New Balance's Made in UK program; over 40 years ago, having manufacturers so close to association football's birthplace and what is now known as the Premier League gave NB a production advantage and authentic connection to the sport.

To enter the world's game with a bang, New Balance sought out a footballer that was well-respected by his peers; celebrated by fans; and exuded the type of class associated with the North American company. Jim Davis and team found their answer in Bryan Robson, an English footballer who served as captain for both England and Manchester United. Then in his mid-20s, Robson became the face of New Balance Football, entertaining audiences domestically and internationally while wearing boots like the S506, S706, and S906. These boots were built with high-quality kangaroo or buffalo calf leathers, and arrived in classic black-and-white color schemes, though some pairs featured Man United-friendly red accents.

Robson performed for club and country wearing New Balance boots, informing heritage brands like adidas and PUMA that there was a new player in town.

1990s Disappearance & Warrior Era

"Captain Marvel" left United in May 1994, graduating to player-manager at Middlesbrough F.C. after 13 years with the "Red Devils." Robson's transition, combined with tough competition from the Three Stripes and Nike, led New Balance to bow out from the world of football boots. Besides, the Boston-based footwear stalwart was enjoyed continued success from its running styles.

New Balance would eventually return to global football, but it first went through the world of lacrosse.

In February 2004, the New England institution announced that it had acquired Warrior, a Michigan-based brand focused on lacrosse. After expanding into hockey, New Balance's acquisition signed a six-year kit manufacturing deal with England's Liverpool F.C., returning New Balance to familiar territory. The club's kits, however, were branded Warrior and not NB from January 2012 to the end of the 2014/15 Premier League season.

On Feb. 5, 2015, New Balance announced it would officially take over the Liverpool manufacturing deal beginning in the 2015/16 campaign. The move was for five seasons and coincided with a concerted return to football.

New Balance Football's Grand Return

By Fall 2015, New Balance Football had re-entered the market. The landscape was rather different than during the peak of Robson's career, but NB was determined to stay for good after its second foray in the space.

"The pursuit of excellence, a passion for innovation and responsible leadership are the core values that [have] helped New Balance become one of the most successful sport and lifestyle brands in the world," shared Richard Wright, New Balance’s General Manager of Football, in 2015. "[T]hese same values [are what] New Balance will now be bringing to football and will help it firmly establish itself at the forefront of the market."

The brand wasted no time. To kick off its grand return to the sport, it signed 10 world-class footballers—including Aaron Ramsey (Arsenal), Vincent Kompany (Manchester City), and Adnan Januzaj (Manchester United). Additionally, New Balance would be the official kit manufacturer of Liverpool, Stoke City F.C., F.C. Porto, and Sevilla F.C. On-pitch kits were accompanied by NB-branded training gear, fanwear, and the launch of football boot franchises Visaro and Furon.

Eleven years later, the New Balance Furon series is still going strong, with Tekela and 442 joining the mix.

New Balance Football: "We Got Now"

Since February 2020, New Balance has been using "We Got Now" as a slogan. Created in collaboration with marketing agency VML, the global campaign focuses on the power of the present, and has featured various athletes and ambassadors the likes of Kawhi Leonard and Shohei Ohtani.

The current New Balance Football program embodies the three-word phrase perfectly, striking a healthy balance between heritage club sponsorships, modern performance gear innovation, and young football talent signings.

Mexico's Deportivo Toluca F.C., Portugal's F.C. Porto, and Brazil's São Paulo F.C. are three football clubs that keep NB competitive within leagues across the globe. Athletes the likes of Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Endrick (Olympique Lyonnais), and Timothy Weah (Olympique Marseille) continue to prove that New Balance football boots can perform at the highest level without sacrificing style.

"I wanted to be part of something that made me feel at home...something that felt like family." — Timothy Weah

Saka and Weah are two of New Balance Football's oldest current athlete sponsorships. Both joined the brand in 2021 and currently wear the Furon Elite FG V8.

In conversation with House of Heat°, Weah shared that he signed with New Balance five years ago because he "wanted to be part of something that made [him] feel at home...something that felt like family." Creative on off-the-pitch, the 26-year-old U.S. international also mentioned that the Boston-based brand has allowed him to "be expressive" and "get out of the box [he] was in to be seen more like a creative than [just] an athlete."

As someone who's worn both Tekela and Furon boots, Weah ultimately stuck with the latter because it fit his identity better: "Seeing the evolution of boots is amazing...Before, I was wearing the Tekela [effectively New Balance's touch and control boot], and I was like, 'Hey, Imma need something a bit [brighter]...edgier."

If you're on the fence about trying Furon or any other New Balance football boot, the forward has six words for you: "Try the boot and feel it." (If you need some extra encouragement, he also highlights the comfort of every current silhouette and raves about the "amazing colorways" (notably the pink "Pure Ambition" Collection) available.)

"We have something special...for the people coming [at the World Cup], man. I don't wanna say too much...I just wanna build up that hype and we'll see. New Balance always got something up their sleeve."

When asked if there was a keyword he could share to get the imagination going as to what he and New Balance are cooking up, Weah smiled and said, "Fire, man, just fire. Just heat, heat, heat, heat, straight heat."

The Future of New Balance Football

Regardless of how much stock you place into Weah's teaser, it can't be denied that right now is an exciting time for New Balance Football.

On the endorsement front, the team just signed deals with Yunus Musah (Atalanta/AC Milan) and Yan Diomande (RB Leipzig), two footballers under the age of 24. It's likely more names will be added to the roster after the 2026 World Cup™.

Some of the aforementioned names will represent NB at the World Cup™ while on duty for the U.S., England, and Brazil.

Before football's biggest tournament begins, Saka and Eberechi Eze will lace up the Furon franchise during the Champions League Final against PSG. It's possible the Arsenal teammates will debut special-edition pairs for the match in Budapest—perhaps even an Aimé Leon Dore collaboration.

The team at New Balance is surely looking to sign another high-profile kit manufacturer's deal with a European footballing giant, as well as eventually make its way back to a national team. In the meantime, however, the brand is guaranteed to continue adhering to its industry-leading standards; supporting athletes; being authentic to itself; and reminding the world that it's always ready to compete.

Competitors, you've been warned.