Swiss sports brand On enters football with Mbappé partnership

On is entering football with one of the sport’s most recognisable players at the centre of its launch. The Zurich-based sportswear company announced on September 18, 2026 that Kylian Mbappé will become its global ambassador and work with its product teams on future boots and kits. Thierry Henry, the former France striker, will lead the new venture.

The move takes On beyond the running category that built its international reputation. Its football plan combines product development with a high-profile commercial partnership. Mbappé, who plays for Real Madrid and is widely regarded as one of the world’s leading footballers, brings global visibility and direct experience of the demands placed on elite players.

On said Mbappé will contribute to the development and testing of products. The company did not disclose the financial terms of the partnership. His move follows his departure from Nike, giving On a prominent opportunity to establish itself in a market where footwear, team kits and athlete endorsements are closely linked.

For Switzerland, the announcement puts a home-grown sports brand into one of the world’s largest sporting ecosystems. On’s headquarters are in Zurich, and the company’s football ambitions will now be tested on pitches far beyond the country’s borders.

Mbappé gives On immediate access to a global audience, while the product role makes the partnership more than a traditional endorsement. The French striker will not simply appear in campaigns. On says he will work closely with its product teams, testing and shaping future football boots and kits.

That arrangement follows the model On has used in athletics, according to the company. It says it wants to work with a selective group of elite athletes to rethink products around the demands of their sport and refresh the culture surrounding them. In football, those demands include traction, weight, fit and durability, although On has not yet provided technical details of its planned range.

The commercial value of the agreement is therefore tied to both exposure and credibility. Mbappé can help On reach supporters who may not know the Swiss label, while his involvement gives the products a direct connection to elite competition. His decision to leave Nike also raises On’s profile in the endorsement market, although neither side has published the contract’s value or duration.

David Allemann, On’s co-CEO, described Mbappé as an ideal partner for imagining football’s future. The company will now have to turn that positioning into products players want to wear.

Thierry Henry will give the project a football voice rooted in elite experience. The former France striker has been appointed to head On’s new venture, placing him between the company’s designers and the players who will test its products.

Henry has framed the assignment around listening to players and understanding their needs. That emphasis matters in a market where small changes in boot construction, fit and performance can influence adoption among professionals and amateurs alike. On has not announced a launch date, product prices or the clubs and teams that might wear its kits.

His appointment also signals that On wants football expertise embedded in the business rather than added only through advertising. Henry’s career gives him credibility with players, while his public profile can help the Swiss company build relationships across football’s professional network. The product challenge will be substantial. Football footwear must perform across different surfaces and conditions, while kits must meet the expectations of teams, supporters and commercial partners.

On has entered a field shaped by established global sportswear companies with deep relationships across clubs, national teams and competitions. Henry’s role may help the newcomer identify gaps in the market, but the eventual test will come when players can compare On products directly with the boots and kits already used at the highest level.

On already has a foothold in football through Sydney Schertenleib, who joined the brand in December 2025. The Swiss player currently represents FC Barcelona, giving On an early connection to one of Europe’s most prominent football institutions before the Mbappé announcement.

Schertenleib’s partnership and Mbappé’s global ambassador role serve different purposes. The young player can provide insight from an emerging career and a direct link to the women’s game, while Mbappé brings the scale of a global men’s football audience. The source announcement does not specify whether either player will wear a commercial On kit in competitive matches or when the company’s first football products will reach consumers.

The two agreements nevertheless show a deliberate expansion beyond On’s established athletics identity. The company says it is applying its approach of working with a highly selective group of elite athletes to football. That strategy mirrors a broader sportswear practice in which product development, athlete storytelling and retail visibility reinforce one another.

For On, football also offers a way to deepen its Swiss identity internationally. Schertenleib’s connection to Switzerland and Barcelona links the brand to a rising player, while Mbappé and Henry provide a platform capable of carrying a Zurich-based company into the sport’s most competitive commercial arenas.

On’s football gamble extends a partnership strategy that began with Roger Federer in 2009. The Swiss tennis great joined the Zurich company that year and became a shareholder, helping On build credibility well beyond its original running base. The Federer relationship demonstrated how an elite athlete can contribute to a brand’s image and business development over time.

The football expansion carries a larger product and distribution challenge. Running shoes can reach consumers through a focused category, while football requires boots, apparel and potentially team relationships across a fragmented global market. On will compete for attention against sportswear groups with long-standing football franchises, sponsorships and retail networks.

The company has not released sales targets, investment figures or expected revenue from football. It has also not disclosed the financial terms of its agreements with Mbappé or Henry. Those details will matter when investors assess whether the expansion is creating a durable business line or primarily extending On’s brand reach.

The next milestones will be concrete: product announcements, technical testing, retail availability and evidence that players adopt the range. Switzerland gains a visible new sports export, while On gains a demanding test of whether its design-led running formula can travel into football without losing its identity.