Nike Mercurial Vapor 17 Academy
Colorway: Bright Crimson/Blur · Style code: IO5002-600 · Release date: July 30, 2026 at 3:00 PM ET · Price: $95 · Availability: Available now
Where to buy: Nike
More colorways: Nike Mercurial Vapor 17 Academy (IO5002-001) · GS Nike Jr. Mercurial Vapor 17 Pro "Kylian Mbappé" (IR1653-701) · PS Nike Jr. Mercurial Vapor 17 Club (IU1827-001) · GS Nike Jr. Mercurial Vapor 17 Academy (IO1467-600) · PS Nike Jr. Mercurial Vapor 17 Academy (IU1809-001)
Nike's Mercurial family is its speed-focused soccer range, and the Vapor 17 Academy sits in the middle of it: below the Elite tier and above the entry-level models. This version is the turf build, made for shorter synthetic surfaces rather than natural grass. The upper is NikeSkin, a soft covering meant to keep ball feel close to playing barefoot while still protecting the foot, and the collar is cut low. A rubber outsole with a grippy pattern handles traction for quick turns and changes of direction on turf. The colorway is Bright Crimson with Blur.
Nike lists the shoe in both men's and women's sizing. Turf editions like this one are built for small-sided games on shorter synthetic pitches rather than full-size grass fields, and the Academy tier is the more accessible entry into the Mercurial range. It is scheduled to release on August 20, 2026, at a retail price of $95.