Nike soccer cleats fit snug and tight, and it differs a lot per line. A Mercurial sits narrow and close around the foot, a Phantom has more room in the toe box and forefoot, and a Tiempo is wide in the midfoot and heel. On product pages for models such as the Tiempo Legend 10 Academy and the Mercurial Vapor, Nike itself suggests half a size up if you want a roomier fit.
This page covers how the cleats fit per line, when you are better off going half a size up and when not. If you do not know yet how wide your foot is, measure it first with the foot width guide.
Do Nike soccer cleats run big or small?
On average they run more small than big, in the sense that the fit is tight. Nike describes the fit of many models as snug. If you have a normal to wide foot, that quickly feels tight.
That does not mean you always have to go up a size. A bigger size mostly adds length and heel slip, not extra width. With a cleat that is too narrow, choose another line rather than a longer cleat. Our guide to how soccer cleats should fit explains why.
How do Nike Mercurial cleats fit?
The Mercurial is deliberately narrow, with low volume and a low, pointed toe box. On the Vapor and Superfly the cleat sits tight over the whole foot. Nike describes the Mercurial as its narrowest line and points to the Phantom and the Tiempo for wide feet.
If you have a standard to narrow foot and a low instep, you can stay at your normal size. If you have a wide foot, the Mercurial is a cleat to avoid in most sources. Half a size up does not solve that, it mostly makes the cleat longer. The Nike Mercurial Vapor is rated narrow in our data, and our page on soccer cleats for narrow feet covers when that is a good thing.
How do Nike Phantom cleats fit?
The Phantom 6 fits wider than any Mercurial, with extra height and width in the toe box and a wide midfoot and heel. Sources describe it as about a quarter size long, so you usually stay at your normal size. In youth sizes the Phantom fits consistently wider, according to the same sources.
Thanks to the knit tongue with stretch, the Phantom is comfortable from the first practice, but you can fine-tune the instep less than with a separate tongue. With a narrow heel the cleat can fit roomy, especially the Low. The differences between the three Nike lines are laid out in Mercurial, Phantom or Tiempo: fit compared.
How do Nike Tiempo cleats fit?
The Tiempo Maestro is wide in the midfoot and heel, but the toe box tapers low and pointed. You stay at your normal size and do not go smaller, because it would get too tight. The Maestro is described as true to size. The synthetic upper does not stretch the way old kangaroo leather did, so you need the length right immediately.
The Tiempo Ligera Pro has a separate tongue and therefore suits wider as well as narrower feet. The Tiempo Legend 10 fits slightly wider in the forefoot than the Mercurial, but buyer reviews are mixed: some find it narrow and tight, others roomy enough. With tall or long toes, keep the low toe box in mind. For a head-to-head with adidas, see Nike Tiempo vs adidas Copa.
How do the Nike Premier and other classics fit?
According to sources, the Premier 3 fits true to size and feels familiar from the first sessions, with a traditional tongue that lets you adjust the midfoot. The material differs per source, so check what is actually in the cleat when you buy. You can read more in our data on the Nike Premier 3.
When should you go half a size up?
Go half a size up if the length is right but your toes press against the front, or if you prefer a roomy fit and the line is known as tight. That applies first to the Mercurial and to the Tiempo Legend 10 Academy, where Nike says so itself. Use your regular soccer socks for this, because thick socks take up room.
Stay at your size if the heel already fits roomy, or on models that already run a bit long, like the Phantom. Pick another last if width is the problem. If you have complaints that do not go away, such as lasting pain or recurring blisters, see a podiatrist. We give fit advice, not medical advice. Use the size converter if you are comparing sizes across brands.
Which Nike fits wide feet?
With wide feet, look first at the Phantom and the Tiempo and leave the Mercurial on the shelf. The page on Nike wide soccer cleats lists the models side by side with the fit ratings per line. Our verdicts come from manufacturer information, fit notes from retailers and player experiences, and are explained in how we work.