Ida Sports: The First Soccer Cleat Specifically Designed for Women

September 7, 2021
By Hannah Cantrell

Women’s soccer is spreading like wildfire. Teams from around the world are only continuing to grow and advance. In the United States, the USWNT has had more success than the USMNT. Yet up until now, there have been no cleats specifically designed for women. And this is where Ida Sports has stepped up.

Ida Sports is an Australian brand that makes female-specific cleats and futsal shoes. After their launch in the middle of the pandemic, they’ve nearly sold out the first production run of their Ida Classica firm ground outdoor cleat in Australia. And now, they’re bringing the Ida Classic to the US market via Dick’s Sporting Goods and Soccer.com.

So, why now? What’s the need for a women’s soccer cleat? The differences between men’s and women’s feet might seem subtle, but that subtle difference can cause big problems. For too long, women have settled with poorly fitted cleats, while men’s kits have always been designed with their anatomy and performance in mind.

It all started when founder Laura Youngson was at the top of a mountain. Youngson, who is additionally a co-founder of the nonprofit Equal Playing Field, led a group of women to the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro to play a soccer match.

In her journey to break the Guinness World Record for the highest altitude for a soccer match and bring attention to the inequalities in sports, she realized a different problem: traditional cleats don’t fit women.

Most women use men’s or children’s cleats, which leave their feet in pain during and after the game. After a lot of thought and research, Youngson learned that ill-fitting cleats could actually put women at a higher risk of injury. This is when she set out to design a cleat specifically for women.

After two years of prototyping and testing, working alongside clinicians, podiatrists, physical therapists, coaches, and hundreds of players, the Ida Classica was born. Ida Sports is about prioritizing female athletes when they’ve traditionally been an afterthought. It’s about being dedicated to gender equality, empowering women and girls in sports, and ensuring that everyone can enjoy the sport. Ida Sports’ move to the US is a huge sign of progress and hope for women’s soccer.