The new World Cup ball is here! How a century of evolution has led to 2026's Trionda

1 month ago 8

Chris WrightOct 2, 2025, 07:07 PM ET

The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks disconnected adjacent summer, and the satellite has got its archetypal look astatine the authoritative lucifer shot that volition beryllium utilized astatine the tourney successful Canada, Mexico and the United States.

Adidas has unveiled the Trionda, the 15th consecutive lucifer shot supplied for a FIFA World Cup by the shaper successful a narration that dates backmost much than 50 years.

In all, determination person been 23 antithetic shot designs utilized since the archetypal World Cup took spot successful Uruguay successful 1930, with the Adidas epoch lone opening with the instauration of the classical Telstar shot astatine the 1970 World Cup successful Mexico.

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Since the archetypal World Cup was held successful 1930, the changing materials and designs utilized for shot balls is simply a mode of charting the improvement of the crippled itself implicit the past century, from a much unsophisticated epoch to the ultramodern professionalism of today.

We instrumentality a look astatine the balls utilized astatine each World Cup, from the archetypal 1 staged successful Uruguay astir 100 years agone to the 1 that volition beryllium utilized erstwhile the latest variation kicks disconnected adjacent June.

Editors' note: This nonfiction has been updated since it was archetypal published successful 2022.

1930: Uruguay (Tiento and T-Model)

There was nary authoritative shot produced for the archetypal World Cup, with a fig of antithetic designs utilized passim the tourney successful Uruguay. Unusually, the last betwixt the hosts and rivals Argentina began with a squabble implicit which state would supply the lucifer ball, starring to a compromise that saw the archetypal fractional played with Argentina's exemplary of prime (the Tiento) earlier being swapped retired for the Uruguayans' preferred shot (the T-Model) astatine half-time. Argentina were 2-1 up astatine the interval earlier Uruguay scored 3 goals with their larger, heavier shot successful the 2nd fractional to triumph 4-2 and instrumentality their spot arsenic inaugural champions of the world. Make of that what you will.

1934: Italy (Federale 102)

Manufactured by ECAS (Ente Centrale Approvvigionamento Sportivi, the Italian government's cardinal assemblage for athletics supplies) successful Rome, the Federale was possibly astir notable for being the archetypal World Cup shot to regenerate heavy hardened-leather laces for fabric ones. As good arsenic improving the binding betwixt panels, utilizing softer laces to stitch the shot unneurotic made heading the Federale little of a headache, if you'll excuse the pun. Pictured holding the shot present is erstwhile Czechoslovakia skipper Frantisek Planicka, who led his federation to the last wherever they mislaid 2-1 to the hosts.

1938: France (Allen Coupe du Monde Officiel)

Produced by the Allen mill successful Paris, the Coupe du Monde shot was akin successful quality to the Federale with its 13-panel construction, fabric laces and acheronian brownish cowhide outer shell. However, the edges of the Allen's idiosyncratic panels were overmuch much rounded than the 1934 shot which made it rounder and much predictable. It besides had to beryllium hand-stitched and hand-inflated by a skilled idiosyncratic to execute a spherical finish.

1950: Brazil (Superball Duplo T)

Thanks to the method advances made during the 12-year spread betwixt tournaments owed to World War II, the World Cup successful 1950 witnessed a insignificant gyration successful the plan and manufacture of the authoritative lucifer ball. Gone were the panels and laces of yesteryear and successful came the Duplo T, which featured a moulded rubber valve done which the enclosed interior bladder could beryllium inflated by a elemental manus pump, overmuch similar each modern-day footballs. The conception had already been successful usage successful Argentinian shot for galore years beforehand but the syringe valve plan wasn't cleared by FIFA for usage astatine World Cups until 1950.