At the upcoming FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, Nike will debut Aero-FIT, a next-generation cooling technology the company describes as its most advanced expression of airflow management to date. Aero-FIT is engineered to channel more than twice the airflow of legacy Nike performance apparel, enhancing cooling between skin and fabric under extreme conditions. Notably, it is also Nike’s first elite-level performance apparel made from 100% textile waste, underscoring the brand’s circularity ambitions.
Six months after the football launch, Nike Golf will introduce its own re-engineered version of Aero-FIT as part of the Spring 2027 collection, transforming the technology into premium golf polos.
According to Nike Golf General Manager Josh Wachtel, the fabric will be adapted specifically for golf performance. “We’ll re-engineer it, make it a little heavier, a little softer feel, different texture pattern on it, make it right for golf,” he said during remarks at the PGA Merchandise Show. The timing also allows Nike Golf to benefit from the global exposure generated by Nike Football’s World Cup campaign.
From a performance standpoint, Nike’s global product director for men’s and women’s golf apparel, Jason Miskovic, described the golf adaptation as “highly breathable, high performing, lightweight, moisture-wicking,” with a premium handfeel. Engineered textures, including pinhole mesh, will differentiate the polos while maintaining a refined aesthetic suitable for the course.
Elite athlete input continues to play a central role in development. Longtime Nike Golf ambassador Rory McIlroy has provided extensive feedback on the technical aspects of the apparel, consistent with his involvement in other performance categories such as rainwear. His influence points toward a clean, polished, and understated design language when Aero-FIT enters the golf line.
Nike also signaled broader category evolution, hinting at a comprehensive reset of its women’s golf apparel, shaped in part by feedback from LPGA star Nelly Korda.
Overall, Aero-FIT’s migration from football to golf illustrates Nike’s platform-driven innovation model: leveraging high-visibility global sports moments to validate new technologies, then scaling and tailoring them across adjacent performance categories.
