World Cup
OFFICIAL WORLD CUP BALLS THROUGH THE AGES
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
The official match ball for the 2018 World Cup has been unveiled. The match ball unveiled on Thursday is the 13th since the adidas/FIFA World Cup partnership begun in 1970.
As in the past, the official match ball is a product of adidas, a long term partner of FIFA. But unlike the past tradition since Mexico ’70, the official World Cup match ball for Russia 2018 did not derive its name from the host country.
While the 2010 match ball is named “Jabulani” which means “to celebrate” in the local Zulu language in South Africa, that of the World Cup 2014 is “Brazuca.” The name was revealed in September 2012 after selection by public vote in Brazil.
The name Brazuca was chosen by close tom 78% of the one million voters in Brazil. According to FIFA “the informal term “brazuca” is used by Brazilians to describe national pride in the Brazilian way of life”, and “mirroring their approach to football, it symbolises emotion, pride and goodwill to all.
The two other voting options were “Bossa Nova” which got 14.6% votes and “Camavalesca” which attracted 7.6 % of the votes.
From ‘Telstar’ through ‘Jabulani’ and ‘Brazuca’ to ‘Telstar 18’, Sports Village Square digs into the archives to bring the Official balls through the ages.
1970 FIFA World Cup Mexico
“adidas Telstar”
Like all other balls in its time, the adidas Telstar was completely made of leather; however, unlike any other ball it featured 32 hand-stitched panels (12 black pentagons and 20 white hexagons), creating the roundest sphere of its time.
The revolutionary design of Telstar wrote football history: it was the first white football ever to be decorated with black pentagons. Mexico 1970 was the first live televised FIFA World Cup and the revolutionary design of Telstar – the name derives from “Star of Television” – made the ball far more visible on black and white television. Until this day, the adidas Telstar remains the archetype of all generic footballs.
1974 FIFA World Cup Germany
“adidas Telstar and adidas Chile”
Two adidas match balls were used for Germany ‘74. Telstar made a repeat appearance with new black branding replacing the previously gold branding. And, building on the success of the adidas Telstar, adidas introduced a new all-white version named adidas Chile (after an all-white ball used at Chile 62). The materials and techniques used in the Telstar and Chile were identical to those used four years earlier.
1978 FIFA World Cup Argentina
“adidas Tango”
In 1978 football design experienced another revolution with the introduction of the adidas Tango. Once again adidas had created what would become a ‘football design classic’. Twenty panels with ‘triads’ created an optical impression of 12 identical circles. For the following five FIFA World Cup tournaments the Match Ball design was to be based on this design. Tango featured improved weather resistance qualities, and took its inspiration from the deep passion, emotion and elegance of Argentina.
1982 FIFA World Cup Spain
“adidas Tango España”
The initial Tango design from 1978 was only altered slightly in 1982. However, the Tango España did feature a major technological innovation. The Tango España, still made of leather, featured revolutionary waterproof sealed seams. This dramatically reduced the ball’s water absorption, thus minimizing weight increase during a game under wet conditions.
1986 FIFA World Cup Mexico
“adidas Azteca”
The Match Ball for the 1986 FIFA World Cup revolutionized footballs and football production techniques. The adidas Azteca was the first ever synthetic FIFA World Cup Match Ball. The use of synthetic material increased its durability and further minimized water absorption. With its never-before-achieved performance on hard ground, at high altitude, and in wet conditions, Azteca represented a massive leap forward for the game.
It is elegantly and elaborately decorated design was inspired by the hosting nation’s native Aztec architecture and murals.
1990 FIFA World Cup Italy
“adidas Etrusco Unico”
The adidas Etrusco Unico evolved the use of synthetic materials further, creating the first ever Match Ball containing an internal layer of black polyurethane foam, making Etrusco Unico fully water-resistant, more lively and faster than ever. The name and intricate design took their inspiration from Italy’s magnificent, ancient history and the contributions and fine art of the Etruscans. Three Etruscan lion heads decorate each of the 20 Tango triads.
1994 FIFA World Cup USA
“adidas Questra”
In 1994 adidas introduced the first Match Ball featuring a high-tech, ultra-high-energy-return layer of white polyethylene foam. This PE layer made Questra softer to the touch (more controllable) and much faster off the foot for more speed. Inspired by space technology, high velocity rockets and America’s “quest for the stars”, Questra set new performance standards.
1998 FIFA World Cup France
“adidas Tricolore”
The adidas Tricolore was the first ever multi-coloured Match Ball. France’s flag and national colours (the Tricolore) and the “cockerel” the traditional symbol of the French nation and Football Federation, inspired the ball’s name and design.
Moreover, the adidas Tricolore featured an advanced “syntactic foam” layer – a tight regular matrix, composed of gas-filled, individually closed and highly durable micro balloons. The syntactic foam further improved the ball’s durability, energy return and made it more responsive.
2002 FIFA World Cup Korea / Japan
“adidas Fevernova”
The adidas Fevernova was the first World Cup Match Ball since 1978 to break with the traditional Tango design introduced in 1978. The colourful and revolutionary look and colour usage was entirely based on Asian culture. The Fevernova featured a refined syntactic foam layer to give the ball superior performance characteristics and a three-layer, knitted chassis, allowing for a more precise and predictable flight path every time.
2006 FIFA World Cup Germany
“adidas Teamgeist”
The new Match Ball for the 2006 FIFA World Cup was officially unveiled during the Final Draw. The new adidas +Teamgeis introduced a radically new 14-panel configuration reducing the amount of three-panel touch points by 60% and the total length of the panel lines by over 15%, forming a smooth and perfectly round exterior allowing players significant improvements in accuracy and control. The Match Ball is designed in white and black, the traditional colours of the German national football team, and accentuated with the golden colour of the FIFA World Cup trophy. Its name, “+Teamgeist”, is based on the single most decisive characteristic every team needs to have in order to lift the trophy: team spirit!
2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa
“adidas Jabulani”
According to adidas, the newly developed “Grip’n’Groove” profile provides the best players in the world with a ball allowing an exceptionally stable flight and perfect grip under all conditions. Comprising only eight, completely new, thermally bonded 3-D panels, which for the first time are spherically moulded; the ball is perfectly round and even more accurate than ever before.
Eleven different colours are used in the Adidas “Jabulani”, the eleventh Adidas World Cup ball. These 11 colours represent the 11 players in every team, the 11 official languages of South Africa and the 11 South African communities that make the country one of the most ethnologically diverse countries on the African continent.
The colourful design brings together the tremendous diversity of the country in harmonious unity. Four triangle-shaped design elements on a white background lend the ball a unique appearance in African spirit. And like the outer facade of Johannesburg’s Soccer City Stadium, individual design elements also capture the colourfulness of South Africa.
2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil
“adidas Brazuca”
Like the past official balls, Brazuca has six polyurethane panels that are bonded to keep the ball the same weight and roundness in even the thickest of rain.
Another technical aspect of the ball, according to adidas in Brazil, is that the panels shape revolutionizes the game by producing faster flight speed and maintaining true roundness. The ball is said to be textured and feels more like the adidas’ Finale 13, the official UEFA Champions League ball, than the adidas “Jabulani” used in South Africa World Cup.
It is the most colourful ball ever in World Cup history.
Nike is investigating a design issue affecting several national team kits ahead of this year’s soccer World Cup, British media reported on Friday, after problems with the shirts became visible during last month’s international break.
Bulging around the shoulder seams was visible on shirts worn by teams including England, France and Uruguay during the international window.
International Friendly – England v Uruguay – Wembley Stadium, London, Britain – March 27, 2026 England’s Cole Palmer reacts Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge/File Photo
A Nike spokesperson told The Guardian newspaper that the company had identified a “minor issue” with the kits, adding that performance was unaffected but the “overall aesthetic is not where it needs to be.”
The issue is present on both match shirts worn by players and replica versions sold to supporters, according to the BBC, with some fans raising concerns.
The American sportswear giant produces kits for a number of World Cup teams, including co-hosts the United States and Canada, as well as Brazil, the Netherlands and Croatia.
The kits have been designed with cooling technology to help players cope with high temperatures expected at the tournament, which kicks off on June 11 and is also co-hosted by Mexico.
The issue comes as the struggling company faces questions over its product innovation and works through excess inventory after a string of weak earnings.
Chief Executive Elliott Hill has pledged to refocus Nike on core sports, and the company said on Friday it had appointed Andy Caine as chief innovation officer.
Nike did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
-Reuters
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Jean-Jacques Ndala has been dramatically dropped from the list of match officials for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, in what many observers are describing as a “career-defining red card” following the fallout from the controversial AFCON 2025 Final.
The Congolese referee, once regarded as one of Africa’s elite officials, has reportedly been excluded from FIFA’s final World Cup roster just two months before the tournament—despite having been part of the preparatory pool.
From Centre Stage to Sidelines
Ndala’s fall from contention is closely tied to his handling of the explosive final between Morocco and Senegal in Rabat—a match that has since become one of the most disputed in recent African football history.
The encounter was riddled with controversial decisions, eventually leading to a temporary walk-off by Senegalese players. Matters escalated further when the result was later overturned, placing Ndala’s officiating under intense scrutiny.
Unverified reports have also alleged that the referee may have acted under “institutional instructions,” including directives not to issue red cards to Senegal players after the disruption—claims that remain unproven but have added to the controversy surrounding the match.
In the immediate aftermath, the Confederation of African Football cleared Ndala of any wrongdoing and continued to appoint him to matches, signalling institutional confidence in his competence.
FIFA, however, appears to have taken a different view.
By omitting Ndala from its final list of referees for the World Cup, world football’s governing body has effectively overruled CAF’s stance—raising questions about alignment between continental and global football authorities on refereeing standards and accountability.
With Ndala out, Africa’s central refereeing representation at the 2026 World Cup will now include:
- Mustapha Ghorbal (Algeria)
- Amin Mohamed Omar (Egypt)
- Pierre Ghislain Atcho (Gabon)
- Dahane Beida (Mauritania)
The list reflects FIFA’s emphasis on consistency and recent performance, particularly in high-stakes matches.
For Ndala, a FIFA-listed referee since 2013, the decision represents a significant personal and professional setback. Once seen as a strong candidate to officiate at the World Cup, his exclusion underscores how a single high-profile match can reshape a referee’s trajectory.
More broadly, the development highlights the growing scrutiny of officiating in African football and the increasing willingness of FIFA to take independent decisions—even when they diverge from continental bodies.
In the end, while players receive red cards on the pitch, Ndala’s has come off it—issued not in a moment, but in the lingering shadow of a final that refuses to fade from memory.
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According to a report by international news agency, Reuters, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Italy’s goalkeeper, has pushed back strongly against claims that Italy’s national team players demanded financial bonuses for World Cup qualification, in a development that highlights a growing conversation around player incentives, long associated with African football—now surfacing in Europe.
The controversy followed Italy’s dramatic failure to qualify for the next FIFA World Cup after a 4-1 penalty shootout loss to Bosnia and Herzegovina in last month’s playoff final—a result that condemned the four-time champions to a third consecutive absence from football’s biggest stage.
In the aftermath, reports emerged suggesting that players had sought financial rewards tied to qualification. But Donnarumma, speaking to Sky Sports Italia, dismissed the claims in emphatic terms.
“As captain, I never went to ask the Italian national team for a single euro,” he said, insisting that any financial gestures were standard federation practice rather than player-driven demands.
According to him, what exists is a long-standing system where federations reward players after achieving qualification, not before. “Our reward was getting to go to the World Cup,” he added, underlining a distinction between earned bonuses and negotiated incentives.
A Familiar African Narrative Finds European Echo
Sports Village Square recalls that the debate, however, resonates strongly within African football circles, where bonus rows have frequently disrupted national team preparations and even tournament performances.
From delayed payments to player strikes and government interventions, financial disputes have often formed a recurring subplot in African competitions such as the Africa Cup of Nations and FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
What makes the Italian situation noteworthy is not just the denial. Still, the mere existence of such speculation suggests that the culture of bonus expectations is no longer confined to Africa, but may be creeping into the European game.
Fallout Deepens in Italian Football
Italy’s failure has already triggered sweeping changes within its football hierarchy. Gabriele Gravina stepped down as president of the Italian Football Federation amid mounting political pressure.
Former legendary goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon also resigned as delegation chief, while head coach Gennaro Gattuso left his position.
For Donnarumma, however, the focus must now shift away from controversy and toward rebuilding.
“We have to start afresh, move on,” the 27-year-old said. “There are major competitions ahead, like the European Championship and the Nations League. Before thinking about the World Cup, we need to focus on these.”
Beyond Bonuses: A Question of Values
While Italy grapples with sporting failure and administrative upheaval, the bonus debate raises deeper questions about motivation, professionalism, and the evolving economics of international football.
In Africa, bonus disputes have often been framed as issues of fairness and welfare. In Europe, where financial structures are more stable, such narratives were once rare.
But as the Donnarumma episode suggests, the lines may be blurring—turning what was once seen as an “African problem” into a broader, global conversation about how national pride, performance, and pay intersect in modern football.
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