Kangaroos Win the World Cup | Episode 93

For decades, the world’s top soccer players laced up boots made from the skins of wild kangaroos. Manufacturers claimed kangaroo leather offered unmatched performance, and millions of kangaroos were commercially killed across Australia each year to supply the global athletic footwear industry.

That story has changed dramatically.

In this episode of the Animal Wellness Podcast, host Joseph Grove examines one of the most successful corporate animal-protection campaigns of recent years: the effort to eliminate kangaroo leather from elite soccer.

Joining the program are Wayne Pacelle, president of the Center for a Humane Economy, and Ryan Luterman-Sevel, director of social media and the campaign’s resident numbers guy.

Ryan’s detailed research tracked every player at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, documenting which boots they wore throughout the tournament. The results were striking. Just four years after kangaroo leather was already beginning to decline, only one player initially appeared to be wearing kangaroo-leather boots at the 2026 World Cup—and by the tournament’s later rounds, even that player had switched to synthetic footwear.

The conversation explores:

• Why kangaroo leather became the industry standard for elite soccer boots.
• How synthetic materials now outperform traditional leather in many respects.
• The six-year Kangaroos Are Not Shoes campaign and the strategy behind it.
• Why major brands including Nike, adidas, Puma, New Balance, ASICS, Mizuno and Diadora moved away from kangaroo leather.
• How consumer pressure, corporate engagement and legislative advocacy combined to change an entire marketplace.
• What the disappearance of kangaroo leather at the World Cup means for wildlife conservation and animal welfare.
• What lessons this campaign offers for future efforts to replace animal-derived products with humane alternatives.

The episode also discusses the science of modern performance materials, the myths surrounding kangaroo leather, and how sustained advocacy can produce measurable, global change—even within industries long considered resistant to reform.

Whether you’re a soccer fan, an advocate for wildlife, or simply interested in how campaigns influence major corporations, this episode offers an inside look at how persistence, data and strategic advocacy helped transform one of the world’s most recognizable sporting traditions.

Guests

Wayne Pacelle President, Center for a Humane Economy and Animal Wellness Action

Ryan Luterman-Sevel Director of Social Media, Center for a Humane Economy and Animal Wellness Action

Learn More

• Center for a Humane Economy
• Animal Wellness Action
• Kangaroos Are Not Shoes campaign

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The Animal Wellness podcast is produced by Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy. It focuses on improving the lives of animals in the United States and abroad through legislation and by influencing businesses to create a more humane economy. The show is hosted by veteran journalist and animal-advocate Joseph Grove. 

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