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A 2022 study of 350 professional women’s soccer players showed that 82% of them said that uncomfortable boots affected their performance. The study, conducted by the European Clubs Association and another over a period of 18 months showed that one in five players made changes to their cleats in order to make them more comfortable.
Over the past few years we have finally seen brands take this issue more seriously. However, at the same time we have also seen an exponential rise in the number of ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) injuries among female soccer players. More recently, we have seen FIFPro (the international professional footballer’s union) launch Project ACL to determine the root causes of these injuries. Now, it is a complex and widely misunderstood problem. However, getting the right footwear is a great place to start.
Quick list
IDA Sports is leading the market by dedicating its focus entirely to female players, and its new high-end Helia Pro boot directly challenges major brands by offering specific shaping and a shorter-studded soleplate—suitable for both FG and AG surfaces—which forces competitors to be more accountable in their marketing toward women.
Puma was instrumental in pushing for women's specific boot fits, yet their latest Ultra model feels subpar due to a less-than-soft upper, lack of heel cushioning, and the absence of a dedicated women's outsole, despite offering their high-end carbon fiber version and being the best speed boot fit available for women.
Adidas is leading the major brands in women's fit by improving the F50 based on player feedback, resulting in options (laced low, midcut, and laceless) that feature a narrower, more cushioned heel, a taller toebox, and a women's specific soleplate with more, rounder studs for better pressure distribution and easier pivoting.
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The Mizuno Morelia Neo Beta, while not women's specific, is a good option for female players due to its naturally narrower heel and structured fit, offering excellent value with a soft kangaroo leather upper and deep lacing system that provides superior lockdown and adjustability compared to other elite leather cleats.
New Balance has finally entered the women's fit market with the Furon, featuring an appreciated MG (multi-ground) soleplate and a specific fit that increases volume around the ball of the foot and big toe while keeping other areas snug, offering a versatile and excellent option for female players.
Best overall
We have to start with the brand leading the charge for change, IDA Sports.
From the beginning, IDA Sports has focused only on the needs of female soccer players, something which other brands are only slowly beginning to commit to. With their new Helia Pro, IDA Sports now has a high end boot to compete with the biggest players on the market.
On the one hand, the pricing does put the boots out of the reach of some people, but on the other, I think it is something IDA Sports needed to do because of the perception that the higher the price, the better the product. While this is not always the case, it is obvious that IDA Sports have put a lot of work into the Helia Pro. This is obvious from the shaping that is designed specifically for women’s feet, down to the soleplate, which has shorter studs.
The shorter studs allows the boots to be used on both FG and AG surfaces with relative ease, while also not causing the studs to dig into the ground so much. Perhaps most importantly, the Helia Pro forces other brands to be more honest about their marketing towards women as you now have a boot that is designed specifically for women versus what the other brands say is designed for women.
Best colour options
Puma was one of the first of the bigger brands to re-invest heavily into women’s football and women’s football boots over the past few years. It can be argued that without their push to do so, other brands may not have followed suit.
It is also important to recognise that as part of this, Puma also made women’s specific fits instead of just making women’s colorways (looking at you, Nike), and then just giving up when sales were not what they wanted.
However, the latest Ultra feels a bit subpar. Now, credit where credit is due, Puma has even offered their wild carbon fibre Ultra in a women’s fit, and the women’s fit boots are widely available. In spite of this, the upper of the Ultra could be softer, and there needs to be a bit more cushioning in the heel for the women’s fit.
Lastly, there is no women’s specific outsole. It is understandable from a cost stand point why Puma would do this (soleplates are extremely expensive to develop and produce), but it is not like Puma does not have to invest in developing a proper women’s soleplate. Still, the Ultra is the most proper speed boot for women’s fit available on the market.
Best lightweight
Of the big three brands (Nike, adidas, Puma), adidas seems to be the one pushing hardest when it comes to women’s fit. I say this because not only did they offer a women’s specific F50 last year, but they then took feedback from players and improved upon it.
Adidas has made the heel slightly narrower with more cushioning, the toebox has been made slightly taller, the sock part of the midcut version has been made slightly taller and more snug to better wrap the ankle. Interestingly, based on feedback when adidas first designed the boots, there were several women’s players who said they liked the fit and design of a midcut sock, so that continues to be offered. It is also nice that adidas have provided multiple different options based on preference, that being the laced low, laced midcut, and laceless.
The soleplate is specifically designed for women, with the regular “unisex” (men’s) F50 layout being replaced with one that has more studs in order to better distribute pressure, as well as the studs themselves being rounder so that it is easier to pivot in the boots. The studs are slightly tall for some older or shorter AG surfaces, and the upper is slightly stiffer than previously, however.
At the same time though, the lockdown is better and I personally like the new version of the Sprintframe 3D texture on the upper as it offers a more grippy touch on the ball.
Best leather
Hear me out, yes it is not a women’s specific fit, and yes the AG soleplate needs work to become more stable, but the Mizuno Morelia Neo Beta is a good option for female soccer players. My reasoning for this is because the cleat follows a lot of the rules needed for a women’s specific fit: narrow heel, low volume, structured midfoot and wide forefoot.
Now, granted the heel is not as narrow as the models from other brands that are designed for women, but it is still on the narrower side. It also has a good amount of lockdown. It should also be noted that not a lot of women’s cleats come in leather, though IDA Sports does have their IDA Classica model.
However, the Neo Beta has a nicer leather upper, specifically kangaroo leather, meaning that you get that lovely, soft feel that no other material can replicate, mostly. Sadly, the Japan model is still far too expensive, and while yes the materials and fit are nicer on the Japan model, the $120 (!!) premium is not worth it over the Elite model. Plus, the Elite model is nicer than other Elite level leather boots on the market, and when you take the Japan model out of the equation the Neo Beta Elite is a decent value for money.
You still get the nice Beta Mesh Neo midfoot, which offers great lockdown through the midfoot. While the boot is technically a one piece upper, the deep lacing system means that there is a lot of adjustability in the fit, which allows you to get a much more personalised fit than other boots on this list.
Best for comfort
New Balance has finally released a women’s fit cleat with the launch of their newest Lime Light Pack. As the name suggests, the Furon is a bright lime, which might not be to everyone’s taste.
However, it is nice that we have another brand entering the women’s fit space as more competition means that everyone else will be forced to do better to compete. While it is a bit strange that it took New Balance so long to release a women’s fit cleat, as the brand is famous for having a lot of different widths and fits in their other footwear, I do appreciate the MG (multi-ground specific) soleplate that they have developed for their women’s cleat.
This is because a MG soleplate is able to be used on a lot of different surfaces, like FG, AG and even HG (hard ground) surfaces. Credit is also due to the specific fit of the women’s Furon, as they have increased the volume of the boot around the ball of the foot and the big toe, while making sure there is not as much volume elsewhere. This is handy for those players who do not like having as much space around the rest of their toes.
I also like that a majority of the studs are rounded in shape and there is a concentration of studs around the ball of the foot as this is one of the parts of the foot that gets the most pressure when playing. An excellent option.
How we test soccer cleats
We put each pair through its paces for several sessions across all surfaces to determine their true level of performance across key factors including comfort, stability, fit and feel. This also allows us to balance them against the claims from brands about new features and technology.
If a brand says that a specific aspect of the soleplate makes twisting and turning easier or a newly-curated material on the upper will provide a better fit, we will test to see how accurate this really is.
Each pair is tested by an expert member of the team who lives and breathes soccer cleats, and are therefore able to cut through the marketing minefield and provide simple yet detailed advice for all players regardless of level.
How to choose the best soccer cleats
The soccer cleat market can be a a minefield at the best of times, as manufacturers throw marketing jargon around championing the latest tech that will supposedly make you ten-times the player you currently are.
But while we'd all love to choose the cleat which looks the best, that's not necessarily always the best option available to us. Choosing the best soccer cleat should focus on how it feels and feels, with the looks coming as a secondary consideration.
Are women's soccer cleats different to men's?
Plain and simply, yes.
Men and women have different body shapes and sizes, meaning that the pressure loads through our feet aren't the same. That means soleplates and stud configurations are altered, because otherwise there is a greater risk of injury.
In addition, the shape of the cleat changes from men's to women's. Generally, a woman's foot arch height is different to a man's, therefore impacting the entirety of the rest of the foot shape. Wider toe boxes are therefore needed to support this, meaning there are lots of subtle changes in a woman's cleat compared to a man's cleat that isn't necessarily noticeable at first glance.
Can women wear men's soccer cleats?
We wouldn't advise women to wear men's soccer cleats, because the way they are designed is completely different. This is because men's and women's feet ergonomically aren't the same, so how they sit in the cleat is affected. There's a greater risk of injury as a result, while it's likely they'll cause discomfort regardless.
In the past, women didn't have any option but to wear men's cleats, but there are an increasing number of options available to women on the market now. How women move compared to men is different, and these anatomical changes are now being incorporated into cleats to ensure the safety of players.
Getting the right fit
We would always recommend trying a pair before buying because making sure your cleats are the perfect length and width is key.
Try before you buy is FFT's motto. We'd always recommend you try on a pair of cleats to make sure they fit correctly before parting with your money, because sizing often varies between brands - and even across models. That means you could be a size 8 in a Nike cleat, but a 8.5 when it comes to Puma.
On top of that, some cleats are much narrower than others, so foot shape certainly needs to come into your consideration, too. This is especially important if considering a pair of laceless cleats as the lack of laces means there is very little adaptability – they will either work for your feet or they won’t.
Best Soccer Cleats For Women: FAQs
What are the best cleats for women's soccer?
We think the IDA Sports Helia Pro is the best cleat for women's soccer because the brand is focused on designing footwear that suits women's feet, tackling issues neglected by major brands that typically adapt men's designs. In our opinion, it's the best overall soccer cleat for women.
What are the five best soccer cleats?
In our guide to the best soccer cleats for women, we outline the five best in detail. If you're looking for a countdown of the best five, however, we recommend the IDA Sports Helia Pro, Puma Women’s Ultra 6 Ultimate/Carbon, Adidas F50 Sparkfusion, Mizuno Morelia Neo Beta IV and New Balance Women’s Furon Elite MG.
What is the most comfortable brand of soccer cleats?
There's no definitive answer to this, as many manufacturers produce numerous lines of soccer cleats, and comfort ultimately comes down to personal preference. However, we rate the New Balance Women’s Furon Elite MG as the best for flat feet, wide feet and one of the best for women, praising their comfort, among other qualities.
We would also recommend Puma for their Future line of soccer cleats, specifically the Puma Ultra 6 Ultimate/Carbon and Adidas also makes several high-quality soccer cleats that provide plenty of comfort.
Are Adidas or Nike Cleats Better For Soccer?
The answer to this question is all down to personal preference. Both manufacturers make some of the best soccer cleats on the market, and both make some of the best for women. Both are responsible for some of the most iconic designs, too, and you can get reliable and affordable soccer cleats from both makers.
As it's down to personal preference, it's important to think about what you want in a soccer cleat before purchasing. Factors like your foot shape, comfort, whether the cleat is designed to maximize speed or not and whether it's suitable for firm ground or soft ground should all be considered when you're looking for soccer cleats.
