IDA & Guinness launch the first ever soft-ground boot for female athletes

Ahead of the 2025 Guinness Women’s Six Nations Championship, IDA Sports and Guinness have announced a game-changing collaboration for women in sports – the IDA x Guinness “Never Settle” Boot, the first-ever soft-ground boot engineered for female athletes. The partnership brings together IDA’s expertise in creating female-specific footwear, while reinforcing Guinness’s support of women athletes and women’s rugby with their iconic branding.

The IDA x Guinness “Never Settle” Boot will mark the debut of IDA’s soft-ground technology in competition, a boot that has been specifically designed to address the long-standing issue of ill-fitting footwear for female athletes and to empower them on the field of play. Before IDA’s launch in 2018, women had to rely on boots which have been designed for the male foot, increasing the risk of injury and hindering performance. This collaboration seeks to rectify this systemic oversight, finally providing elite women athletes with the performance equipment they both need and deserve.

The launch of the IDA x Guinness “Never Settle” Boot marks a significant step forward in addressing gender inequality and championing inclusion in rugby, and further emphasises Guinness’s ongoing commitment to never settle until sport is a place where everyone can belong.

Through extensive research and testing, IDA has optimised the fit, comfort, and performance to craft the ultimate boot for female athletes. As the first female-specific soft-ground model available, the boot features strategically placed metal studs to deliver exceptional traction on wet, natural grass.

During this year’s Guinness Women’s Six Nations, these cutting-edge boots will be worn by some of the Championship’s finest players, including Ireland co-captain Edel McMahon and teammate Neve Jones, Olympian and England player Megan Jones and her teammate Ella Wyrwas, Olympian Jasmine Joyce of Wales, Elis Martin and Caity Mattinson of Scotland and Alissa Ranuccini of Italy.

Players wearing the boots during the upcoming Championship have been a vital part of IDA’s research and development process, and their continued insight will help inform the next iteration of boots for women athletes.

Laura Youngson, co-founder of IDA said: “At IDA Sports, we’re always pushing the boundaries of innovation to create the best footwear for women athletes everywhere, on every surface. Our limited release, the ‘Never Settle’ Boot, is the result of extensive research and development, blending cutting-edge design with the performance and comfort our community deserves. We’re beyond excited to share this with the world, and we jumped at the chance to work with Guinness because of their commitment to growing the women’s game. Here’s to breaking new ground—on and off the field!”

Gráinne Wafer, Global Director for Beer, Liquor and Vodka at Diageo said: “This partnership with IDA Sports to create the Never Settle boot isn’t simply about equipment, it’s about challenging the status quo to drive meaningful change. Together, we want to level the playing field by creating custom-made solutions for women rugby players so that all athletes can play at their full potential. We hope the Never Settle boot can be a source of inspiration for the wider sporting industry to embrace innovation and ultimately increase the accessibility of rugby to more players – from the Guinness Women’s Six Nations to grassroots rugby.”

Megan Jones, player on the England Women’s Rugby team who will be wearing the boots throughout the Guinness Women’s Six Nations Championship, added: [i"I’m thrilled to be amongst the first to try out the IDA x Guinness ’Never Settle’ boot, given it’s designed to support women’s physiological needs on the pitch. It feels historic to be able to wear them during this year’s Guinness Women’s Six Nation, and I can’t wait for more players to be able to try out this new design and experience the support it provides. This much-needed innovation is such a positive step forward for women’s rugby"[/i]

The IDA x Guinness “Never Settle” Boot features a limited-edition colourway in collaboration with Guinness, exclusive to athletes competing in the 2025 Guinness Women’s Six Nations Championship. The wider public release of the boots will follow, marking an era of more inclusive and specialised gear for women athletes. More information available at the link here.