Football is one of the most popular sports in the United States. It’s a game that people love to play and watch, but it can be difficult to find the right shoes for indoor football.
Indoor football is played on a smaller field with fewer players than outdoor football, but it still requires good traction and stability. Luckily, there are a few types of shoes that will help you get the job done.
Best Shoes For Indoor Football
The best indoor football boots you can buy
Looking for the best indoor football boots out there? Here are the top current picks from Nike, Adidas, Umbro and more
If you’re looking to pick up a ball and get playing once more, or if you’re just wanting to give your footwear an upgrade, there’s no time like the present to pick up a brand new set of football boots.
But not every game has to be on a grassy surface – and it might be easier for you to find a five-a-side kickaround at your local leisure centre, meaning you’ll need an entirely different boot built for indoor use.
We’ve rounded up the best indoor boots you can get on the market today, depending on what you want out of your game – alongside answering the most commonly asked questions by players looking to get the most out of their purchase.
What are indoor (IC) boots?
Indoor boots, referred to sometimes as indoor court boots, or known by the shortened phrase IC, are footwear specifically designed to provide the strongest experience for players who take to indoor surfaces for their games.
Arguably the most common non-studded type of sports boot to be found on the market, they tend to be constructed with responsive rubber soles, designed specifically to provide additional grip and functionality over non-traditional playing surfaces.
Given that most professional football is played on turf, you won’t see these boots in action as often with players across the world’s biggest leagues – but given they are made by several of the companies who have crafted some of the most iconic boots going, you can be sure that they’ll deliver a top-notch quality finish.
What surfaces can indoor boots be used on?
Specifically, indoor ground boots are built for use only upon indoor surfaces – the hard courts found typically inside in sports halls, or occasionally outside over hardcore surfaces akin to tennis courts.
Unlike their studded counterparts, these are particularly useless when it comes to turf surfaces, especially soft ground, with their rubber soles more likely to create slips and trips than anything else.
If you’re looking for football boots suitable on other surfaces, read GOAL’s comprehensive round-up of the best football boots in 2022.
What is the difference between indoor boots and others?
There are several differences – some large, some subtle – between indoor boots and boots designed for other surfaces. Studded soles, for example, are a non-starter when it comes to indoor courts.
Indoor boots tend to be built with additional cushioning in mind, given the unforgiving nature that courts can often present, with ankle support often important to protecting players who wear them.
With that in mind, here are the best indoor football boots that you can get right now.
Best overall boots: Nike Mercurial Vapor 14 Academy IC
For all-round command and control matched with blistering pace to ensure that you’ll get the edge on the rest of the competition, look no further than the Mercurial Vapor 14 Academy IC – one of the best pair of boots you can get for the indoor courts.
With a grippy design quick to offer speedy traction in any direction and a moulded upper to enhance ball control, it will give you a near-skintight touch that will make you feel like you could be playing on air, allowing you to get the maximum control that you desire.
Best boots for control: Adidas X Speedflow.3
It’s frustrating when you can’t quite get the touch on the ball right – but introduce the X Speedflow.3 into your collection and you’ll instantly be able to bolster your skills when it comes to keeping control.
You’ll be able to turn on a dime with this boot, allowing you to master those delicate touches in less time than you think. You’ll be able to improve your full game from there and learn the importance of how crucial command is in matches.
Best boots for small matches: Nike Lunar Gato II
Need to speed through that gap in a closely-packed match? Enter the Lunar Gato II, designed to ensure your command of small matches is unmatched.
With soft leather at the forefront of its construction, its Lunarlon cushioning gives it a springy feel that aids in allowing players to poke past defences, offering inventive design as a way to bypass opponents and get towards the goal in tight areas.
Best boots for summer: Umbro Chaleira II Pro
There isn’t exactly a boot best-suited for the sweltering heat of hot weather – but you can absolutely look the part with the Chaleira II Pro.
A compression-moulded midsole offers additional support over those hard surfaces, while a full-grain leather vamp helps increase and enhance overall touch. However, it’s the combination of blue, yellow and red – or rather deep surf, golden kiwi and toreador – that gives this one its distinctive summer feel.
Best boots for finishing: Adidas Kaiser 5 Goal
Got some power behind your shots? Then you might want a boot that can help turn that weight into a goalscoring weapon.
There is nothing unnecessarily fancy about it, hued in classic black with the iconic three-stripe pipe pattern, but its hefty build means that it’s perfect for a smooth, solid strike off the inside, allowing you to truly get your power behind the ball and into the back of the net.
Best budget boots: Nike Tiempo Legend 9 Club
There’s no need to breakthe bank in pursuit of a quality shoe for indoor surfaces – the Tiempo Legend 9 Club proves just that, delivering a satisfying boot that won’t let you down on the courts.
Wrought with a hyper-light design intended to favour the attacking play, the raised texture of its design is backed by soft foam pads in order to increase command and contact.
Best boots for old school vibes: Umbro Speciali Eternal Team NT
Nothing says class like a good old-fashioned black boot – and the Speciali Eternal Team gets the edge over several of its rivals for the gentle modern twists it buries under the surface.
With a snug, professional fit enhanced by its Memory Foam tongue, which moulds itself to the roof of the wearer’s foot, this also comes with a removable sockliner in order to help modulate the perfect shape for any wearer.
Best boots for acceleration: Umbro Velocita 6 Club
Given how small indoor games can be, the need to pick up the pace is vital – and the Velocita 6 Club understands this exceptionally well, allowing players to get the edge when it comes to pace against their opponents.
A lightweight, low-sitting collar means that it cuts down on potential drag around the ankle, while the company’s tailored Spring+ outsole allows for fast starts in multiple directions, meaning that you won’t be suffering from a slow touch wherever you are on the pitch.
