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 combines IDA’s expertise in creating female-specific footwear with Guinness’s iconic branding, reinforcing its support of women athletes and women’s rugby.
The IDA x Guinness “Never Settle” Boot will mark the debut of IDA’s soft-ground technology in competition. This boot has been specifically designed to address the long-standing issue of ill-fitting footwear for female athletes and empower them on the field of play.
Before IDA’s launch in 2018, women had to rely on boots designed for the male foot, which increased the risk of injury and hindered 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 what is described as ‘the ultimate boot for female athletes’. As the first female-specific soft-ground model available, the boot features strategically placed metal studs to deliver increased 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 vital to IDA’s research and development process, and their continued insight will help inform the next iteration of boots for women athletes.
“At IDA Sports, we’re always pushing the boundaries of innovation to create the best footwear for women athletes everywhere, on every surface,” said Co-Founder Laura Youngson.
“Our limited release, the ‘Never Settle’ Boot, results from 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.”
“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,” added Gráinne Wafer, Global Director for Beer, Liquor and Vodka at Diageo.
“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 inspire 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.”
“It’s brilliant to finally have a boot designed for women’s rugby,” said Edel McMahon of Ireland.
“The IDA x Guinness ‘Never Settle’ boot is a real step forward. We’ve often had to compromise on fit, but now we have a boot built for our game and our physiological needs.”
“I’m delighted to be representing this project on the field during this year’s Guinness Women’s Six Nations Championship and look forward to more players being able to experience this innovation very soon.”
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.
Further Reading for Sport for Business Members: Guinness Never Settle Shortlisted for Best of Europe Awards
SPORT FOR BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE
Something simple but obvious: it should not have needed a sponsor to make it happen, but it did, and Guinness was willing to step up and do so. This looks like an award-winning activation, but one that can also have a tangible impact beyond the marketing kudos.
WHAT’S UP NEXT?
The Guinness Women’s Six Nations Gets Underway this Saturday, with Ireland playing France in Belfast at 13:00.
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