The width chart sorts every cleat we rate into four columns, from narrow to wide, so you can see where each model sits before you read about it.
How do you read the width chart?
Start with your foot. If you measured it, use the result. If you did not, go by where your current cleats pinch. Then look at the columns: narrow, standard, roomy and wide. A wide foot should begin in the wide and roomy columns and only move to the standard column if the model has a separate tongue and a leather upper that stretches.
The chart is a summary. Behind each placement sit separate notes for the forefoot, the instep and the heel, and those notes matter as much as the column.
What do the four classes mean?
Narrow cleats are cut low and tight, usually speed models with a thin knit or synthetic upper that barely gives. Standard cleats follow an average last, which suits many feet but not a wide one. Roomy cleats give the forefoot more space, often with a separate tongue and deep lacing. Wide cleats combine a broad last, a higher toe box and an upper that gives or wraps.
A wide class does not mean a cleat is wide in every zone. A cleat can be roomy through the midfoot and heel and still have a low toe box, so read the zone notes.
Why does the fit vary by line?
Every major brand builds more than one last. The Phantom and the Mercurial come from the same company and fit very differently. The same goes for the adidas Copa and the F50, the Puma King and the Puma Ultra, and the Mizuno Morelia II and the Morelia Neo V Beta. That is why the chart sorts models and not brands.
Upper material plays a part too. Kangaroo leather and calfskin stretch with wear, while synthetic and knit uppers stay close to their shape from day one. For more on this, see leather or synthetic.
What should you do next?
Take your column and pick two or three models. Check the size tip, because some cleats run short or long, and check the soleplate for your surface. The cleat finder does that filtering for you, and the wide soccer cleats guide explains what to look for in each zone. If you are unsure of your width, start with the foot width calculator.