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adidas “City of Gold” 2026

adidas “City of Gold” (2026) is an adidas commercial directed by Royd Ringdahl for IMA South Africa, produced by Darling Fling. It won one award: Ciclope 2026 Gold Craft Direction – New Talent In Commercials.

This ad celebrates the enduring spirit of South African football, showcasing the journey from humble beginnings to the grand stage, emphasizing resilience and the golden legacy of the sport.

Video: Royd Ringdahl on Vimeo

Shot by shot

  1. A low-angle shot captures a massive cloud of reddish-brown dust and debris exploding upwards and outwards from the ground, obscuring the view.© adidas0:18
  2. A person wearing a white soccer jersey with a skull and crossbones emblem and "Vodacom" logo is shown in a dimly lit setting.© adidas0:43
  3. A wide shot shows a group of children playing soccer on a dusty field under a dramatic sky, with power lines and towers in the background.© adidas1:07
  4. A shirtless young man balances a silver soccer ball on his head in a mirrored elevator, looking directly at the camera.© adidas1:25
  5. Sparks fly upwards between two dark, textured walls and a central concrete pillar, with text at the bottom of the frame.© adidas1:55
  6. Two people, a man and a woman, walk up a dark, winding staircase, holding hands, with their shadows cast large on the wall.© adidas2:11
  7. A man in a bucket hat plays a bass drum while children play soccer in a paved courtyard with a large concrete building in the background.© adidas2:39
  8. A wide shot of a circular apartment building courtyard with balconies and windows, looking up at a bright sky, with a dark sphere floating in the center.© adidas2:58
  9. A crowd of people celebrate as a man in a white and blue jacket holds a trophy aloft in a stadium.© adidas3:09
  10. A black and white, blurry shot of a crowd of people, with three men in the foreground out of focus, and a bus and cars in the background.© adidas3:22
  11. A black and white extreme closeup shows a person with a furrowed brow and a slight smile, looking intensely at something off-camera.© adidas3:32
  12. A man in a suit juggles a golden soccer ball in front of a large, ornate circular window in a grand building.© adidas3:39

Stills © adidas. Made by IMA South Africa, Darling Fling and Royd Ringdahl.

Every shot, full-quality frames and clips, and search across every commercial. Free account.

The idea

From dusty fields to golden glory: South African football's enduring spirit.

Tagline: “We are still here.”

journey from humble beginningsresilience in adversitygolden motifcommunity and shared passionpast and present interweavingaspirational narrative

The cut

Length
231 s
Shots
132
Average shot
1.8 s
Format
mixed

What creatives use adidas “City of Gold” for

  1. 01Reference frames for your treatment

    Pitching something with the feel of adidas “City of Gold”? A screenshot from a video player won't hold up in a deck.

    Download any frame of this spot at full quality, with its credits, or search every spot for the same look.

    A low-angle shot captures a massive cloud of reddish-brown dust and debris exploding upwards and outwards from the ground, obscuring the view.© adidasA wide shot shows a group of children playing soccer on a dusty field under a dramatic sky, with power lines and towers in the background.© adidasA shirtless young man balances a silver soccer ball on his head in a mirrored elevator, looking directly at the camera.© adidasSparks fly upwards between two dark, textured walls and a central concrete pillar, with text at the bottom of the frame.© adidas
    Frames from adidas “City of Gold”

  2. 02Shot list example: how it was cut

    You need the structure of a great spot, shot by shot, for your storyboard.

    Every shot of adidas “City of Gold” in order, with its length, framing and what happens in it.

    A low-angle shot captures a massive cloud of reddish-brown dust and debris exploding upwards and outwards from the ground, obscuring the view.© adidasA wide shot shows a group of children playing soccer on a dusty field under a dramatic sky, with power lines and towers in the background.© adidasA shirtless young man balances a silver soccer ball on his head in a mirrored elevator, looking directly at the camera.© adidasSparks fly upwards between two dark, textured walls and a central concrete pillar, with text at the bottom of the frame.© adidasTwo people, a man and a woman, walk up a dark, winding staircase, holding hands, with their shadows cast large on the wall.© adidasA man in a bucket hat plays a bass drum while children play soccer in a paved courtyard with a large concrete building in the background.© adidas
    Length: 231 s · Shots: 132 · Average shot: 1.8 s · Format: mixed

  3. 03Ad ideas: every spot built on a resilience in adversity

    Before you present an idea, you need to know who has done it, and how.

    adidas “City of Gold” is built on a resilience in adversity. Search the library by idea to see every spot that uses it.

    Save the Children “Save the Survivors”© Save the ChildrenMacmillan “Whatever It Takes”© MacmillanFacebook “Born In Quarantine”© FacebookMédecins Sans Frontières “Give Me Hope”© Médecins Sans Frontières
    Save the Children · Macmillan · Facebook · Médecins Sans Frontières

More commercials by Royd Ringdahl

  • adidas "It's in our bones" (2025) commercial still© adidasadidas “It's in our bones” 2025Dir. Royd Ringdahl · Room Studios

Award-winning sport commercials

Questions

Who directed the adidas “City of Gold” commercial?

Royd Ringdahl directed it, produced by Darling Fling, for the agency IMA South Africa.

Which agency made adidas “City of Gold”?

IMA South Africa created it for adidas (2026).

What awards did adidas “City of Gold” win?

1 awards, including Ciclope 2026 Gold Craft Direction – New Talent In Commercials.

What is the tagline of adidas “City of Gold”?

“We are still here.”

Sources for the credits and awards

awards.ciclopefestival.com