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Nike finally released its long-awaited FIFA World Cup 2026 ad with a star-studded cast chasing a loose ball all over a Hollywood set.
The campaign was first teased through Nike’s Instagram with a Polaroid-style carousel featuring signed snapshots of the cast. The teaser blended football’s biggest names with stars from across sports and entertainment, building anticipation for what would become one of the brand’s biggest football campaigns yet.
Current football stars spotted in the teaser included Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland, Vinicius Jr., and Cole Palmer, many of whom previously appeared in Nike Football’s “Scary Good” campaign last year.
What Happens in Nike’s ‘Rip The Script’ Ad?
The six-minute film finally dropped and delivered exactly what fans expected. There was chaos, creativity, and football taking over an entire Hollywood production set. Built around the message of “Rip The Script,” Nike’s rallying cry encourages players and fans alike to ditch the playbook and embrace attacking, instinctive, and joyful football. The campaign serves as a reminder that the game is at its best when players trust their instincts rather than follow a predetermined script.
The ad opens with Mbappe on set struggling to follow instructions from a director. Before long, football takes over. Vinicius Jr., Bruno Fernandes, Nico Williams, Raul Jimenez, Fede Valverde, and several others find themselves involved in a growing chase centered around a loose ball moving across different sets, while several people from the staff are growing frustrated, including Travis Scott.
One of the standout moments came when Vinícius recreated his own modern-day Joga Bonito moment, casually dribbling through production staff and production crew members while the entire set descended into football-fueled madness. It was a great callback to the FIFA World Cup 1998 ‘Airport’ ad where Brazilian players dribbled their way past security.
The chase eventually leads the stars into a television studio called “Strikers Know Best,” featuring football legends Didier Drogba and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, before continuing through increasingly ridiculous Hollywood scenarios.
Jamal Musiala soon joins the pursuit before the ball finds itself near Erling Haaland, who is casually sitting beside his stunt double, actor Channing Tatum, and didn’t join the chase just yet.
The sequence continues as Virgil Van Dijk perfectly strikes the ball toward a nearby meeting room occupied by LeBron James and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Inside the room, the two global icons are discussing a script titled “The GOAT’s Goodbye,” with both humbly insisting the story is actually about the other. It is also worth noting that James is wearing the USMNT x Virgil Abloh Archive rugby shirt during the scene.
The action escalates when Ronaldo suddenly disappears onto another set. Van Dijk follows in pursuit as the ball flies into an exploding movie sequence, with CR7 somehow emerging unscathed much to the defender’s disbelief.
As the signal cuts out, rapper Central Cee appears alongside Cole Palmer. Despite not making England’s World Cup squad, Palmer still earned a role in one of football’s biggest advertisements of the summer and quickly joined the chase.
Eventually, every star involved converges onto the same set. The ball finds its way to Vinicius, who delivers a cross from the edge and Haaland smashes home a volley and plants a kiss on the camera to close the film.
Who Is Featured in Nike’s World Cup 2026 Ad?
Beyond the star power and cinematic spectacle, “Rip The Script” serves as the foundation for Nike Football’s broader World Cup campaign. The brand describes it as a gateway into the universe of Nike Football throughout the summer tournament, with interconnected storylines, unexpected appearances, hidden Easter eggs, and ongoing content designed to keep fans engaged long after the commercial ends.
The cast reflects both football’s global reach and its influence beyond the pitch. Alongside the aforementioned stars, the film featured football icons Eric Cantona, Ronaldinho, and Jorge Campos. The ad also included appearances from Kim Kardashian, Ted Lasso, Kate Scott, Young Miko, LISA, and several other figures from sport and popular culture.
What Is Nike’s “Rip The Script” Campaign About?
As anticipation builds for the FIFA World Cup, Nike adds to the list of creative World Cup campaigns that fans have witnessed over the past few weeks. The latest campaign reminds fans that football’s biggest moments often happen when players stop following the script and start writing their own. It celebrates the courage to take risks and redefine expectations.
Images from Nike.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nike’s “Rip The Script” is a six-minute World Cup 2026 campaign film set on a Hollywood production lot. It follows a loose ball triggering a chaotic chase involving current football stars, entertainment figures, and football legends, built around the message of instinctive, attacking football over predetermined tactics.
The film features Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappé, Erling Haaland, Vinicius Jr., Bruno Fernandes, Jamal Musiala, Cole Palmer, LeBron James, Didier Drogba, Zlatan Ibrahimović, Ronaldinho, Eric Cantona, Travis Scott, Central Cee, Kim Kardashian, LISA, Young Miko, and Ted Lasso, among others.
“Rip The Script” is Nike Football’s rallying cry for the 2026 World Cup, encouraging players and fans to abandon rigid tactics and embrace instinctive, creative football. The campaign celebrates the courage to take risks and redefine expectations rather than follow a predetermined game plan.
The film includes a callback to Nike’s iconic 1998 World Cup Airport ad, with Vinicius Jr. recreating the spirit of that clip by dribbling through production staff on set — nodding to the Brazilian flair and Joga Bonito tradition that defined the original campaign.
Yes. Nike describes “Rip The Script” as a gateway into a broader World Cup universe, with interconnected storylines, hidden Easter eggs, unexpected appearances, and ongoing content planned throughout the summer tournament to keep fans engaged beyond the main film.