Extra wide football boots in a genuine wide fit version are made by New Balance and Mizuno. New Balance offers 2E on selected Furon, Tekela and 442 models, junior sizes included. At Mizuno, the Monarcida Neo III Select is sold as wide fit.
Nike, adidas and Puma have no wide line, but they do build boots on wider lasts, such as the Phantom, the Copa Pure and the King. Below we explain what the letters mean, how far you can trust a wide label and what to do if your size or model does not come in a wide fit.
A genuine wide version is a boot the manufacturer itself makes in a wider build, with a width label to show for it. That is rare. In football only New Balance and Mizuno do it, and even then not on every model.
- New Balance: 2E on selected Furon, Tekela and 442 models, including the junior 442 Academy. It is the only major brand with a stated wide last across several lines.
- Mizuno: the Monarcida Neo III Select is sold as wide fit. The separate Wide and SW (super wide) versions of the Monarcida have mostly turned up in Asia and the United States, so availability in the UK and Ireland is not guaranteed.
With every other brand you are looking for a model with a wide last rather than a wide label. That means the Nike Phantom 6, the Puma King 20, the adidas Copa Pure IV and the Mizuno Morelia II. Officially they are standard width, but sources describe them as wide. A lesser-known alternative is the Sokito Scudetta, with a separate tongue and deep lacing.
The letters come from the American width system and show how wide a boot is compared with standard. For men, D is standard, E is wide, 2E (also written EE) is extra wide and 4E is extra extra wide. B and C are narrow. For children the scale shifts: D is wide and E is extra wide.
A letter does not tell you exactly how many millimetres you gain. There is no international standard for width fittings: the ISO standard for shoe sizes (ISO 9407) defers to regional practice, so a D can vary slightly from one manufacturer to the next. The steps between letters also change with length. Treat the letters as a guide, not an exact measurement.
The F, G and H width fittings you may know from everyday UK shoes are not used on football boots. If you see them on a size chart, it is a different system.
Not always reliable. Reviewers report that the width, length and volume of New Balance models in 2E are not always consistent. One reviewer found an older Furon v6 in 2E slightly narrower than the standard version. With the 442 as well, a parent said the wide version for their child felt more like a normal wide fit than an extra wide one.
That does not mean you should ignore a wide label. It means you should check the fit, know the retailer’s returns policy and look at the model itself. Putting a 2E label on a narrow model does not make it a wide boot. Below you can see where each model stands.
Which wide and 2E models are worth a look?
Our verdicts are based on manufacturer information, retailer fit notes and players’ experience. We do not run lab tests.
- New Balance 442 v3: fairly wide, with a roomy heel and a separate tongue, designed for wider or flatter feet. In 2E it is wider still. The toe box is low and the microfibre does not stretch, so do not count on it giving. It fits true to size: half a size down is uncomfortable.
- New Balance Tekela v5: good width through the midfoot and forefoot and roomy around the ankle, but a low, pointed toe box and a forefoot that sits fairly snug. Half a size up is common. The Team version has been spotted in 2E.
- New Balance Furon v9: a narrow speed last that is regarded as the widest speed boot, but it is not for genuinely wide feet. How reliable the 2E is varies.
- Mizuno Monarcida Neo III Select: soft synthetic leather and, according to Mizuno itself, a wide fit. An entry-level option, available in junior sizes too.
- Mizuno Monarcida Neo III: kangaroo leather in the forefoot, a U-shaped throat and deep lacing. It fits true to size.
If you want to know more about these brands, read our pages on New Balance for wide feet and Mizuno for wide feet.
Then you go for a model that is built wide, rather than one with a label. For extra wide feet, these come up most often:
- Puma King 20: wide through the heel, midfoot, forefoot and soleplate. It runs short, so go half a size up, and with a very wide foot in the Pro version sometimes a full size.
- Nike Phantom 6: the widest Nike, with extra height and width in the toe box. Your normal size usually fits.
- Skechers SKX_2 and Razor 2: a round, wide toe box and plenty of space in the forefoot.
- Mizuno Morelia II: kangaroo leather on a slightly wider last with a separate tongue.
- adidas Copa Mundial: a classic with a wide last and thick kangaroo leather. It runs long, so go half a size to a full size down, and it feels tight at first.
Going up a size to get more width is not the answer. You do gain a little width, but mostly extra length, and that brings heel slip and less feel for the ball. Choose a wider model, leather or a separate tongue instead.
Only leather stretches. Natural leather such as kangaroo and calfskin gives, synthetic leather barely moves and knit springs back. A synthetic boot that feels too narrow in the shop will not get any wider after a few matches.
For leather boots there are a few methods. A boot stretcher used straight after wearing, while the leather is still warm, puts pressure on both length and width. A hairdryer on a low setting aimed at the tight spot, with thick socks on, also helps, and so does a leather stretching spray. A cobbler can stretch a boot for you as well. Take care, and if in doubt leave it to a cobbler, because leather can be damaged. Our page on stretching football boots covers it all.
You can tell you have extra wide feet from the problems you get in standard-width boots: pressure on the little toe and the ball of the foot, blisters along the side, a foot that hangs over the edge of the soleplate, hard skin or a corn on the side of the little toe and sometimes numbness in the sole from the pressure at the sides. Measure your foot standing, in football socks and at the end of the day, and go by the wider foot. Our guide to measuring foot width shows you how.
If you also have a high instep, you need to think about volume too. Read more on our page about football boots for a high instep. Pain that will not go away should be checked by a podiatrist or your GP.
Availability of wide versions varies by size, so check your size with the seller before you decide. If you take a large size, also have a look at wide football boots in big sizes. For a personal top three based on your size, problem and surface, use the boot finder.