Ghanaian Collective Free The Youth Gets A Friends & Family Air Jordan 1

From Ghana to the world.

Andrew Rizzo December 26, 2025

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Free The Youth is poised to enter the sneaker world as one of 2026’s most compelling new collaborators. Founded in 2013 as a platform to bring Ghanaian fashion to a global stage, the imprint has naturally evolved from a social media movement into a full-fledged fashion brand, creative agency, and NGO, delivering on its promise to be more than just a label. That momentum caught the attention of Jordan Brand, which partnered with the Ghanaian collective on an event in London in early 2025. Come Summer 2026, Free The Youth will play a key role in revitalizing the Air Jordan 16 as part of its renewed retro run.

Ahead of that milestone, Free The Youth has shared images of a limited Air Jordan 1 Mid created exclusively for friends and family, capped at just 175 pairs. The design channels the vibrant energy of Ghana, featuring bold hits of red, yellow, and blue around the toe box, paired with a lively orange midsole. Oversized FTY branding appears in green across the quarter, matched by green laces and complemented by a blue-and-orange FTY tag. The defining detail lands on the heel, where the Okodee Mmowere symbol from Ghana’s coat of arms, representing bravery, unity, and spiritual strength, replaces the traditional Jordan Wings logo. Additional Okodee Mmowere graphics appear on the insoles, while individual numbering is printed on the inner tongue.

Again, the Free The Youth x Air Jordan 1 Mid is strictly for friends-and-family and will not see a public launch. The collective’s first retail Air Jordan collaboration will be an Air Jordan 16, expected to release in Summer 2026. No images of that project have surfaced yet, but our Jordan Release Dates page will be kept up to date with all the latest information.

: Air Jordan 1 “Free The Youth” kellykurlz/

: freetheyouth_ghana/IG

: Air Jordan 1 “Free The Youth” kellykurlz/

: Air Jordan 1 “Free The Youth” kellykurlz/

: Air Jordan 1 “Free The Youth” kellykurlz/

: Air Jordan 1 “Free The Youth” kellykurlz/

: Air Jordan 1 “Free The Youth” kellykurlz/

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Written by

Andrew Rizzo, Junior Editor

Andrew Rizzo is an editor at Sneaker News based out of New York City. His primary interests include Air Jordan, Nike ACG, Nike Air Max, and New Balance footwear. Prior to joining Sneaker News, Andrew covered youth sports for several outlets and worked at one of the world’s top performance marketing agencies. He hails from Astoria, Queens and is a huge New York sports fan, particularly when it comes to the Knicks and Yankees.