Nike and Dazed Print a 50-Page Magazine for Soccer Summer

Nike and Dazed are putting American soccer's rise on newsstands instead of a banner ad.

The two have released Dazed League, a limited-edition 50-page print magazine built around the global soccer movement and timed to this summer's World Cup.

It's the second year the pair have worked together on a special issue, following 2025's Dazed Maxx, and the first time the independent title has dedicated a full issue to the sport.

The cover, shot by Carlos Jaramillo and styled by Marcus Correa, features a lineup of names pulled from outside the pitch, including:

• Skateboarder Louie Lopez
• Artist Mika
• DJ Ari Mamnoon
• Photographer and director Estevan Oriol
• Model Nica the Fresh Prince
• Art curator Antoine J. Girard

Felicia Pennant, Editorial Director of Dazed League, said the sport has grown into something bigger than what happens on the field.

"More than just a global sport, soccer is self-expression, style, community pride, activism and freedom," Pennant said.

She added that the issue "benchmarks where we're at, as the tide turns on home turf, and how this summer's tournament will accelerate the next phase."

From the Page to Bryant Park

Inside, the magazine runs a handful of features built around the community side of the game.

"Watch Parties" documents friend groups gathering to watch matches, while "Shrimp On The Ball" turns those same gatherings into a small cookbook of dishes served during games.

"E Pluribus Unum: TOMA La Noche" is a photo study of player self-expression through hair, nails, and styling.

Lastly, "World Champions" is a double-sided illustrated tournament bracket made to be a removable insert.

Soccer fever runs rampant around the world, which is why global brands like Nike need to create layered rollouts to stay top of mind amid marketing saturation. 

Ahead of the tournament, the brand released "Rip the Script," a six-minute film from Wieden+Kennedy.

It stars more than 30 athletes and cultural figures, backed by roughly 185 follow-up shorts running through the summer.

Dazed League follows a similar model of pairing one release with an extended run of smaller content, this time on paper instead of on screen.

Dazed League launched last Monday, June 29, as a free issue available at select stockists in New York, Los Angeles, Houston and Atlanta.

A limited run will also be handed out on June 27 at Bryant Park, where Nike is hosting the final of its TOMA street league.

Print Still Earns Trust That Ads Can't Buy

Nike didn't need another commercial for this moment.

It needed something that reads as credible to an audience that can smell a marketing push from a mile away.

A print magazine, sold through independent stockists rather than pushed through paid media, shows that the sportswear giant is willing to hand creative control to people outside its walls.

Dazed's editorial team picked the cover stars, wrote the features, and shaped the tone, and Nike's logo shows up as a partner.

It's a match made in heaven, one that could capture the demographic soccer is trying to win over in the U.S.

Here are some lessons we can learn from the effort: 

Hand the microphone to a credible third party.

Marketers chasing a skeptical audience should let an outside editorial voice choose the story, the same way Nike let Dazed pick its own cover stars instead of dictating the lineup.

Give a fast-moving campaign something that lasts.

Brands should always think ahead of short-lived content with a physical object people keep around.
A magazine serves that exact purpose in this context, staying on coffee tables long after a highlight clip disappears from a feed.

Use small, specific formats to reach niche interests.

Companies should think outside the box and experiment with micro-content, such as a recipe tied to a viewing party.
It's more refreshing to consumers than one campaign trying to speak to everyone at once.

A tournament this size gives brands one shot at looking like they understand the moment.

Our Take: Who Is This Magazine Actually For?

We think it's for the people who'd never admit they care about a World Cup schedule but will absolutely show up to Bryant Park for free merch and a good photo.

Nike and Dazed don't need to convert die-hard soccer fans because they're trying to catch the crowd that follows a skateboarder or a DJ first and a scoreline second.

Putting Louie Lopez and Estevan Oriol on a soccer magazine cover is Nike and Dazed's way of saying identity travels faster than box scores.

We'd want to know how many of these issues actually leave the stockist's shelves versus how many end up as a nice photo on someone's feed.

A magazine only works as a flex if people are seen carrying it, not just seen posting about it.

Looking to build sports campaigns that connect film, product, retail, and fan participation? Explore these top sports marketing agencies in our directory.