Adidas has revealed it CLIMACOOL SYSTEMa new performance technology designed to help soccer players manage high temperatures during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The company developed the system to predict hot and humid conditions in several host cities in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
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The CLIMACOOL SYSTEM comprises three components, including a cooling vest, an insulating jacket and a cooling cover. adidas designed each product to reduce body temperature, increase heat resistance and help athletes maintain their stamina during tournament preparation.
Players wear the cooling vest over their jerseys before entering the field of play. The vest contains a specialized gel that the teams freeze before use. As the gel gradually thaws, it delivers cooling effects to the upper body, torso, abdomen and back. This process helps reduce body temperature during warm-up and other pre-race activities.
The federation insulating jacket works together with the vest. Its airtight construction traps cold air and prolongs the frozen state of the gel. According to adidas, the jacket can almost double the cooling benefit of the vest alone. The complete upper body system can reduce core body temperature by up to 0.5°C and skin temperature by 13°C.
adidas also created the cooling shoe to deal with the heat and swelling in players’ feet. Players place the shoe directly over their football boots. The cooling gel can reduce the foot temperature by 2°C within seven minutes. The design maintains sensitivity and dexterity for actions such as dribbling, passing and shooting.
Marc Makowski, Senior Vice President of adidas Innovation, reported temperatures in excess of 30°C in Miami, Dallas and Monterey, along with humidity in other host cities. adidas worked with Manchester United, Juventus and Arsenal during development, gathering feedback from players and medical teams. The company used these tests to improve the system and evaluate its effects on athletes.
The project began with technology that adidas originally created for Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team drivers dealing with excessive heat in the cockpit. A multi-year development process adapted this technology for football. adidas introduced football-specific details such as a front zip on the vest, allowing players to easily put it on and take it off.
The CLIMACOOL SYSTEM is part of the wider range of adidas products for the FIFA World Cup 2026. Fourteen teams will wear new adidas federation kits during the tournament. Away designs bring the Trefoil logo back to a World Cup pitch, while CLIMACOOL+ materials help keep players cool and dry.
adidas has also developed the TRIONDA Official Match Ball with the latest version of Connected Ball Technology, which supports faster refereeing decisions. The F50 Hyperfast Evo completes the tournament line-up as the lightest adidas boot created for FIFA World Cup use.
adidas will supply the CLIMACOOL SYSTEM to every partner association competing at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
