The 2026 FIFA World Cup just kicked off this week, and anyone who has spent a July afternoon in Miami, Dallas, or Monterrey knows exactly where these players fit in. Adidas knows it too, which is why the brand recently unveiled the Climacool System, a three-piece cooling device designed to cool players before they hit the pitch.
And in classic adidas fashion, they didn’t improve the ball at all.
From the Cockpit to the Pitch
The Climacool System began life as a multi-year project for the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 team, designed to help drivers survive the oven-like conditions inside the Formula 1 cockpit. Adapting it to football wasn’t just a quick undo job, either.
Adidas spent years testing the system with Manchester United, Juventus, and Arsenal, and used input from players and medical staff to help shape the final design. Even small details, like the new front zip of the vest for quick opening and closing, came directly from that feedback process.
Vest Straight Out of the Refrigerator
The centerpiece is a proprietary gel-filled vest that freezes before use. When worn over a sweater, the gel slowly melts and dissipates heat from the body, abdomen and back.
The accompanying alliance coat is incredibly smart, to say the least. Its airtight construction traps cold air against the body, almost doubling the vest’s cooling effect. Together, the pair can lower body temperature by 0.9°F and skin temperature by 23.4°F.
Yes, Those Frozen Boots
The third piece is the gel-filled shoe that slides directly over the player’s cleats, and it might be our favorite part of the entire setup. It lowers the foot’s temperature down to 3.6°F in just seven minutes, tackling the swelling and overheating that plague players in hot climates.
The important thing is that adidas says it does all of this without moving a foot. This means that swimming, passing, and shooting should feel the same. This system joins the product’s extensive World Cup arsenal alongside the Trionda match ball and featherweight F50 Hyperfast Evo cleats.
Specification Sheet
Brand:Adidas
Product:Climacool system
Components:Cooling vest, protective federation jacket, cooling shoes
Cooling Method:Proprietary frozen gel
Reducing Critical Time:Up to 0.9°F (0.5°C)
To Reduce Skin Heat:Up to 23.4°F (13°C)
Footsteps Reduction:3.6°F (2°C) within 7 minutes
Actual application:Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team
Development Partners:Manchester United, Juventus, Arsenal
Pricing and Availability
The Climacool system will be offered to all adidas partner organizations competing in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. There’s no word on a consumer release yet, though we’d be surprised if this technology doesn’t end up happening eventually.
Adidas Climacool System
Born from Mercedes F1 cockpit tech, adidas’ three-piece frozen gel system reduces players’ skin temperature by more than 23 degrees for the 2026 World Cup.
