The 14th successive ball created by adidas for the FIFA World Cup™ travels faster in flight than any other in the tournament’s history, supporting high-speed and high-quality games 

Adidas has announced Al Rihla as the Official Match Ball for FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022TM. The 14th ball manufactured by adidas for the FIFA World CupTM is engineered to support peak game speeds, flying faster than any other ball in the tournament’s history. 

“This is a stunning, sustainable and high-quality Official Match Ball from adidas that will be enjoyed by stars performing at the top of their game on the world’s biggest stage in Qatar, as well as grassroots players everywhere,” said Jean-François Pathy, FIFA’s Director of Marketing. “Al Rihla’s worldwide journey will represent the incredible reach of the FIFA World Cup and give fans a unique opportunity to engage with the event as excitement builds ahead of the big kick-off.”

Designed from the inside out using data and rigorous testing at adidas labs, in wind tunnels and on the pitch by football players themselves, Al Rihla provides the highest levels of accuracy and reliability on the field of play, partly due to its new panel shape and surface textures.

Need for speed!

Adidas has equipped the ball with an unique CRT-core to guarantee it matches the high standards anticipated in the world’s most prestigious athletic event. This core will give maximum shape and air retention while playing, as well as speed, accuracy, and consistency.

The ball’s textured PU covering, known as Speedshell, also gets a brand-new 20-piece panel form, which is touted to increase flight stability and swerve thanks to its surface’s macro- and microtextures.

The ball was designed with sustainability as a priority; indeed, Al Rihla is the first FIFA World Cup ball to be made exclusively with water-based inks and glues. 

Al Rihla… the journey

Al Rihla means “the journey” in Arabic and is inspired by the culture, architecture, iconic boats and flag of Qatar. The bold, vibrant colours set on a pearlescent background represent the FIFA World Cup host country and the ever-increasing speed of the game.

Adidas went public with the unveiling of Al Rihla on Twitter.

Al Rihla’s first public appearance will be alongside legends such as Iker Casillas, Kaká, Farah Jefry and Nouf Al Anzi, and a diverse group of talents, including female footballers from Qatar, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt, as well as young rising players from Doha’s Aspire Academy. 

FEATURES OF AL RIHLA football

  • CRT-CORE – the heart of the ball, providing speed, accuracy and consistency for fast-paced action and precision, with maximal shape and air retention, as well as rebound accuracy; and
  • SPEEDSHELL – a textured PU skin with a new 20-piece panel shape, improving the accuracy, flight stability and swerve thanks to macro- and microtextures, plus surface debossing.

Source: FIFA

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