The 2026 FIFA World Cup is so close that we can already hear the chants, and Nike have started rolling out all their latest innovations – including the Mercurial Vapor 17 and Mercurial Superfly 11. You may have already witnessed these new speedster boots on Mbappé in Real Madrid’s final La Liga game of the season, but today, Nike have officially announced ‘em! Both the Vapor 17s and Superfly 11s come kitted with new builds that make them ultra-fast on the pitch.
‘In football, speed isn’t a stat, it’s separation,’ says James Molyneux, Nike’s senior director of football footwear innovation. ‘The modern game asks players to be fast in different ways. That’s why Mercurial is now two tools, each built to help athletes create space when it matters most.’
Nike’s Mercurial franchise adds to the football boot lineup, comprising the Phantom 6, built for attacking, and the Tiempo Maestro for supreme dribbling. What the Mercurial looks to perfect is speed, and comes correct with innovations from Team Swoosh’s legendary running catalogue. The Vapor 17 arrives as the lightest Mercurial ever and comes minimally equipped, with an Atomknit upper and FlyLite plate to promote rapid movement from players. For the Superfly 11, Nike have bolstered the design with an external Air Zoom unit and a FlyWeave Ultra upper – giving players the ability to sustain top speeds. For the first time since 2014, the Superfly 11 will also arrive in a low-cut collar that’s said to encourage more natural motion.
Nike will be dropping their Mercurial Vapor 17 and Superfly 11 on June 1 at their webstore, with a wider launch arriving on June 4.
You can keep up to date with all of the latest World Cup news right here!
