The Nike Total 90 Gets A World Cup Rework

The Nike Total 90 Gets A World Cup Rework - Page 2

Nike got ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup hype by reworking its Total 90 III sneaker to look like an actual soccer ball.

A pair of white and black soccer-themed sneakers with a repeating hexagon pattern. — Nike

Like any current sportswear brand, Nike is cashing in on the 2026 FIFA World Cup hype by reintroducing its classic T90 Collection for the first time in over two decades.

At the forefront of it all is the Nike Total 90 III silhouette, and we think soccer fans will definitely get a kick out of a new colorway that just hit stores.

Inspired by the core of the game itself, this iteration of the Total 90 III completely replaces the upper to reflect the geometric shape of a soccer ball. Originally concocted in 1962 by pioneering footballer Eigil Nielsen, the classic 32 panel truncated icosahedron would later be popularized, ironically enough, thanks to Swoosh competitor adidas with the game-changing Telstar Elast match ball in 1968.

The black-and-white hexagon design has since become a standard in the sport, making this special take on the Total 90 III a must-cop for diehard fans. Asymmetrical ribbon laces and a flat rubber sole replacing the cleats gives these a lifestyle appeal that will assure that you’re the talk of any watch party from now until mid-July.

This comes following a yearlong court dispute for control of “Total 90” branding after Nike allowed the hiatus to go on long enough for the trademark to lapse in 2019. By 2022, a Louisiana-based soccer coach had swooped in on The Swoosh and claimed it for his own, which led to litigation in 2025 during the initial relaunch.

However, an official ruling this past Monday (June 22) gave Nike the greenlight to move forward in using “Total 90” branding. According to Bloomberg Law, while Total90 LLC failed to either prove itself as the senior user or establish that Nike abandoned the mark following its registration lapse in 2019, Nike was able to give a federal judge in Louisiana enough evidence that supported its prior use in order to prevent an abandonment finding.