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After a year many sneaker enthusiasts considered one of the best of all-time, 2026 has high standards to live up to. And yet, only a few weeks into the new year and it’s already shaping up to another major 12 months of sneaker releases.
From can’t-miss collaborations from the likes of Levi’s and Air Jordan and the long-awaited return of Virgil Abloh’s work with Nike, this year’s product is looking incredibly promising. Basketball will take center stage with signature shoes for the likes of Caitlin Clark, A’ja Wilson and potentially other huge names like Cooper Flagg and Victor Wembanyama.
After taking home Shoe of the Year at the FN Achievement Awards for the Virginia Adistar Jellyfish, Pharrell Williams and Adidas will continue their reenergized partnership.
All eyes will be on Asics and New Balance as they continue their respective evolutions, and readers can also expect new installments from the ongoing A$AP Rocky x Puma partnership.
Scroll down for a full recap of the year’s most anticipated sneaker releases, returns and stories.
The Levi’s x Air Jordan 3 Collection Comes Out Soon
Any time Levi’s and Nike get together, it’s guaranteed to be good. Sure, Nike can produce its own in-house denim sneakers, but there’s something special about getting the official touch from such an established legacy brand like Levi’s. The upcoming Air Jordan 3 collaboration is a natural follow-up to 2018’s trio of Levi’s x Air Jordan 4s, but unlike that set, which only featured different denim colors on each style, the new releases also don different materials across all three pairs. After on-foot debuts by longtime Jordan Brand partner Spike Lee, the collection is set to be released this spring.
Nike Air Foamposite Pros Will Be a Focus
Historically, the Air Foamposite Pro hasn’t always held quite the same level of prestige as its Swoosh-less Air Foamposite One sibling, but in 2026, Nike is going all-out to change that perception. The Air Foamposite Pro is set to return in a number of fondly remembered styles; some as old as 2003’s University Blue, with others as recent as 2013’s Green Camo. It’s also set to arrive in several brand-new styles including a premium glow-in-the-dark look and a collection of NCAA football-themed colorways. The Air Foamposite One won’t be going anywhere, either, as it’s set to release in special All-Star Weekend styles, but so far, it’s shaping up to be the year of the Pro.
Caitlin Clark’s Debut Nike Signature Sneaker
One of Nike’s most viral sneaker releases of ’25 was Caitlin Clark’s Indiana Fever-colored Kobe 5 Protro PE. People just couldn’t stop posting about it, which also led to another talking point: when would her own shoe surface? That question will be answered this year with the arrival of Clark’s debut Nike model. Both the brand and the WNBA superstar have been mostly tight-lipped about the sneaker, but during a December appearance on the Kelce brothers’ New Heights podcast, Clark said it would include technology Nike hasn’t used in a basketball shoe before.
Asics Continues to Evolve
Whether with experimental designs from Kiko Kostadinov or collectible styles from Kith, Asics was sneakily one of last year’s best sneaker collaborators, but the brand didn’t solely rely on partnerships to make noise. It continued to find mainstream success with its 2000s-style tech runners like the Gel-1130, Gel-Kayano 14 and Gel-NYC, beloved by consumers for their affordability and availability as well as their on-trend looks. The Japanese sportswear brand also worked in new territory, releasing 3D-printed sandals and dress shoe-sneaker hybrids. More recently, it re-entered the basketball space, releasing the Swiftace Yuki sneaker for Japanese pro Kawamura Yuki. With this sort of momentum, there is potential for an even bigger year to come.
Does Victor Wembanyama Get His Own Nike Shoe?
Although nothing has been confirmed or leaked yet, it would be downright shocking if the year comes to an end without news about a Nike Victor Wembanyama sneaker. The San Antonio Spurs standout has been a face of Nike’s G.T. Hustle franchise and is expected to wear the futuristic G.T. Cut 4 during this year’s NBA All-Star Game, but there’s piles of money being left on the table as more time passes without an official signature shoe. While there have been some analyst concerns about the big man’s potential for injury, it didn’t stop Nike from signing him to a rumored $100 million-plus deal, so expect the company to cash in on its investment sooner rather than later.
More Virginia Adistar Jellyfish and New Pharrell Models
The Pharrell and Adidas collaboration never really went away, but it had lost some steam before taking the sneaker world by storm with the Virginia Adistar Jellyfish in 2025. The FN Shoe of the Year winner represented a return to form for the partnership, which will surely look to capitalize on this renewed energy in the new year. We’ve already seen a few new colors of the Virginia Adistar Jellyfish, but what’s even more exciting is the possibility of what’s to come. How will Williams and Adidas follow up their most celebrated release in years? Stay tuned.
New Balance Releases New Cooper Flagg Shoes
Dallas Mavericks rookie star Cooper Flagg has started his professional career wearing player-exclusive New Balance colorways, but it’s only a matter of time before New Balance takes the partnership to the next level with the announcement of a signature shoe. Currently, Kawhi Leonard is the only signature basketball athlete on the brand’s roster and with his career winding down, now is an opportune time for New Balance to begin the next chapter in its on-court legacy. While a few more Flagg PE colorways are likely to be released, more should be known about the rookie’s debut shoe before the end of the year.
Nike Launches the A’Two
Nike designers have their work cut out for themselves when it comes to following up on A’ja Wilson’s first signature shoe. The A’One was one of the most well-received debut sneakers in recent memory and as the reigning WNBA champion and MVP prepares to enter her ninth season, she’s set to do so in her sequel Nike A’Two model. Not much is known yet about the upcoming release, but readers can expect a retail price of $145, an increase from the $115 price point of the A’One.
Virgil Abloh’s Nike Collaboration Returns as Virgil Abloh Archive x Nike
Virgil Abloh’s coveted collaboration with Nike is returning, but with some changes. Off-White, the label founded by the late designer in 2013, will no longer be represented on the branding of the footwear, which will instead reference the Virgil Abloh Archive. What’s to come from the renamed partnership is still unconfirmed, but early rumors point to a reissue of Abloh’s all-white, deconstructed Air Jordan 1, which was originally released as a European exclusive. Also expected to be released is a zip tie-adorned version of the Nike Cryoshot, the brand’s lifestyle spin on its classic Tiempo football boots.
The 41st Air Jordan Is Released
There will be plenty of high-profile Air Jordan Retro releases: Space Jam Air Jordan 11s, Fragment Design x Union x Air Jordan 1s, Reverse Infrared Air Jordan 6s and the aforementioned Levi’s x Air Jordan 3 collection. But with all the noise about innovation being one of Nike, Inc.’s weak points, it’s time for the company to really make the most of its flagship models. Historically, experimenting with tech on Air Jordans has had mixed results — anyone who remembers the interchangeable cushioning units of the Air Jordan 22 or the swappable sockliners of the Air Jordan 27 can attest to as much. Now’s the time to get it right.
