Ahead of the FIFA Women’s World Cup™ (July 20-August 20, 2023), Nike has unveiled the “What The Football” campaign, championing female soccer players from around the world who are changing the game and inspiring the world through the power of sport.
The campaign, which features 11 top female soccer players (Ada Hegerberg, Alex Morgan, Asisat Oshoala, Chloe Kelly, Debinha, Grace Geyoro, Kadeisha Buchanan, Megan Rapinoe, Sam Kerr, Sophia Smith and Wang Shuang), reinvigorates the women’s game and highlights the opportunity to nurture a new generation. Nike says it is committed to growing women’s sports and building a better game. To that end, it is redefining the athlete partnership model to better listen to athletes, care for them holistically and work with them to effect positive change through sport.
“What The Football” opens with a daughter and father anxiously watching Brandi Chastain’s legendary 1999 penalty kick for the world title. The ball lands in the goal, and dad has a comical slip that catapults him 24 years into the future. The latest Nike campaign celebrates past and present soccer talent, the drama of the sport and the infectious fun of this summer’s global tournament, which is eagerly anticipated by multiple generations.
As part of the campaign, Nike also unveiled individual episode films about some of the soccer heroes, which can be found on the Nike Football YouTube page.
“At Nike, we have always firmly believed that the voice of the athlete has the power to change the world,” said Tanya Hvizdak, VP, Global Women’s Sports Marketing. “For the last 50 years, we’ve worked with athletes who share our values and vision to move the world forward through the power of sport. As we look to the future, many of our female athletes have a fresh perspective and ambition to create even bigger change. Together with them, we are partnering to deliver new product innovations and services, support communities, and expand sport for the next generation.”
