"The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off next summer, and the world has got its first look at the official match ball that will be used at the tournament in Canada, Mexico and the United States. Adidas has unveiled the Trionda, the 15th consecutive match ball supplied for a FIFA World Cup by the manufacturer in a relationship that dates back more than 50 years."
"Since the first World Cup was held in 1930, the changing materials and designs used for soccer balls is a way of charting the evolution of the game itself over the past century, from a more unsophisticated era to the ultramodern professionalism of today. We take a look at the balls used at every World Cup, from the first one staged in Uruguay almost 100 years ago to the one that will be used when the latest edition kicks off next June."
"There was no official ball produced for the first World Cup, with a number of different designs used throughout the tournament in Uruguay. Unusually, the final between the hosts and rivals Argentina began with a squabble over which country would provide the match ball, leading to a compromise that saw the first half played with Argentina's model of choice (the Tiento) before being swapped out for the Uruguayans' preferred ball (the T-Model) at half-time."
Adidas unveiled the Trionda as the official match ball for the 2026 FIFA World Cup hosted across Canada, Mexico and the United States. The Trionda marks Adidas's 15th consecutive World Cup match ball and continues a partnership that spans more than 50 years. There have been 23 different World Cup ball designs since 1930, with Adidas's era beginning with the Telstar in 1970. Changes in ball materials and design reflect the sport's evolution from early, unsophisticated equipment to modern, professional standards. The first World Cup in 1930 used multiple ball designs, including a midfinal ball swap.
Read at ESPN.com
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