History of the World Cup Ball
The official FIFA World Cup ball has become the game's most iconic piece of equipment. We look back at the history of the World Cup ball since adidas became official match ball supplier.
1970 World Cup Mexico
adidas Telstar
For its first FIFA World Cup, adidas created the world's most recognised football design. It featured 32 hand-stitched panels (12 black pentagons and 20 white hexagons) that made the ball a more perfect sphere and visible on black and white television for a worldwide audience. To this day, the design remains the football archetype.
1974 World Cup Germany
adidas Telstar/adidas Chile
For its first FIFA World Cup, adidas created the world's most recognised football design. It featured 32 hand-stitched panels (12 black pentagons and 20 white hexagons) that made the ball a more perfect sphere and visible on black and white television for a worldwide audience. To this day, the design remains the football archetype.
1978 World Cup Argentina
adidas Tango
The 1978 Match Ball included twenty panels with triads that created an optical impression of 12 identical circles. The Tango inspired the match ball design for the following five World Cup tournaments.
1982 World Cup Spain
adidas Tango España
Altered slightly from the 1978 Match Ball, the 1982 ball sported innovative waterproof sealed seams that reduced the ball's water absorption and minimised weight increase during wet conditions. The Tango España was the last traditional leather World Cup ball.
1986 World Cup Mexico
adidas Tango Azteca
The 1986 World Cup match ball revolutionised footballs and production techniques as the first ever fully synthetic/polyurethane-coated match ball. The new materials increased durability and further minimised water absorption. The ball was also the first to include designs inspired by the host nation. The Azteca was elegantly decorated with designs inspired by Mexico's Aztec architecture and murals.
1990 World Cup Italy
adidas Etrusco Unico
For the first time, the World Cup match ball contained an internal layer of black polyurethane foam, making it fully water-resistant and faster than ever. The name and design paid homage to Italy's history and the fine art of the Etruscans.
1994 World Cup USA
adidas Questra
For the 1994 World Cup, the Questra was first ever match ball to be enveloped in a layer of polystyrene foam. The innovation made the ball softer to the touch and much faster off the foot. The ball's design represents space technology, high velocity rockets and America's "quest for the stars."
1998 World Cup France
adidas Tricolore
The first ever multi-coloured match ball, the Tricolore featured an advanced syntactic foam that improved the ball's durability, energy return and responsiveness. adidas also used an under glass print technology for the first time that increased the longevity and visibility of the ball, which featured France's national colours.
2002 World Cup Korea and Japan
adidas Fevernova
For the first time since 1978, the match ball broke away from the traditional Tango design. The innovative Fevernova included a refined syntactic foam layer that allowed for more precise and predictable flight path. Asian culture inspired the revolutionary colourful look.
2006 World Cup Germany
adidas Teamgeist
A radically new configuration reduced the amount of panel touch points forming a smooth and perfectly round exterior that improved accuracy and control. Prior to the Teamgeist, the surface of World Cup match balls had notable differences depending on where a player would strike the ball due to seams, ridges and other imperfections where panels come together. The revolutionary propeller design of the Teamgeist minimised corners and created a smoother surface for improved play. The ball was designed with traditional colours of the German flag and was accentuated with the golden colour of the World Cup trophy.
2010 World Cup South Africa
adidas Jabulani
The Jabulani featured a new grip n groove ball technology that provided players a ball with exceptionally stable flight and perfect grip under all conditions. With eight thermally bonded 3D panels that were spherically moulded for the first time, the Jabulani was more round and accurate than any of its predecessors.
2014 World Cup Brazil
adidas Brazuca
adidas provided the official match ball for their 12th straight FIFA World Cup in 2014 as Brazuca was unveiled on December 3, 2013. Brazuca was confirmed as the match ball name after a public vote in Brazil, participated in by more than one million football fans in the host country.
2018 World Cup Russia
adidas Telstar 18
The Telstar 18 was a reimagining of the first adidas FIFA World Cup Official Match Ball, the Telstar, which was used at the 1970 tournament in Mexico. It featured a brand new carcass and panel design engineered to provide performance and durability both in the stadium and on the street. The ball also included an embedded NFC chip – the first time it had ever been used in an Official Match Ball – designed for increased consumer interaction.
2022 World Cup Qatar
adidas Al Rihla
The Al Rihla was mainly inspired by the culture, architecture, iconic boats and flag of Qatar. In Arabic, the word Al Rihla means "the journey". In order to reduce air resistance in what could be one of the hottest World Cup finals ever, the ball appears completely seamless. The ball was designed with sustainability as a priority, making it the first ever official match ball created with water-based glues and inks.
Image & Video Credits
Intro - EA/iStock by Getty Images
1970 - "Telstar" by shine2010, used under CC BY 2.0
1974 - "Telstar Durlast" by shine2010, used under CC BY 2.0
1978 - "Tango" by shine2010, used under CC BY 2.0
1982 - "Tango España" by shine2010, used under CC BY 2.0
1986 - "Azteca" by shine2010, used under CC BY 2.0
1990 - "Etrusco Unico" by Rob Filby/Twitter
1994 - "Questra" by shine2010, used under CC BY 2.0
1998 - Tricolore" by shine2010, used under CC BY 2.0
2002 - "Fevernova" by shine2010, used under CC BY 2.0
2006 - "Teamgeist" y shine2010, used under CC BY 2.0
2010 - "Jabulani" by shine2010, used under CC BY 2.0
2014 - "Brazuca" by Mariya Butd used under CC BY 2.0/Deep-etched from original
2018 - "Telstar 18" by soccer.ru, used under CC BY-SA 3.0
2022 - "Al Rihla" by Will Jones
Background image - Photo by Peter Glaser on Unsplash
Outro - adidas.com.au/al-rihla-competition-ball
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