Playing elite soccer in a Miami summer is roughly the equivalent of running a marathon inside a car wash set to “steam.” Adidas thinks it has a fix.
The sportswear giant launched the CLIMACOOL SYSTEM on June 8, just days before the FIFA World Cup 2026 kicked off across North America. The three-part cooling kit, consisting of a pre-frozen gel vest, an insulating jacket, and an overshoe, is designed to keep players from overheating in cities where temperatures are expected to push well past 30°C.
Formula 1 tech meets the pitch
The underlying cooling technology was adapted from solutions developed for Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula 1 drivers, who routinely sit in cockpits that can exceed 50°C during races.
The gel vest alone can lower skin temperature by up to 13°C, which is a massive physiological advantage when you’re trying to maintain sprint speed in the 85th minute of a knockout match in Dallas.
