In Detail - Here Are All 13 Adidas World Cup Balls - Incl. Tango, Fevernova, Teamgeist & Jabulani
Jun 6, 2018, by Chris
Update: The 2018 World Cup is less than two weeks away. Unisport has made some nice pictures of the past few World Cup footballs.
Adidas has been making the World Cup balls since almost 40 years now, and on Thursday they revealed their latest accomplishment - the Telstar 18. We take a look at the history of Adidas' World Cup balls.
The last time Adidas did not produce the official FIFA World Cup ball was in 1966, when Slazenger produced the official ball of the tournament - the orange Slazenger Challenge.
1970 FIFA World Cup Mexico - Adidas Telstar
For its first FIFA World Cup, Adidas created the world's most recognized soccer ball 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 soccer ball archetype.
1974 FIFA World Cup Germany - Adidas Telstar/Adidas Chile
Two match balls were used in 1974 – Adidas Telstar was updated with new black branding replacing the gold branding and a new all-white version of Telstar named Adidas Chile was introduced. 1974 was also the first time World Cup Match Balls could carry names and logos – Adidas was no longer an anonymous supplier of Match Balls used on the field.
1978 FIFA 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 FIFA World Cup Argentina - 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 minimized weight increase during wet conditions. The Tango España was the last traditional leather World Cup ball.
1986 FIFA World Cup Mexico - Adidas Azteca
The 1986 World Cup match ball revolutionized soccer balls and production techniques as the first ever fully synthetic/polyurethane-coated match ball. The new materials increased durability and further minimized 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 FIFA 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 FIFA 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 FIFA World Cup France - Adidas Tricolore
The first ever multi-colored 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 colors.
2002 FIFA 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 colorful look.
2006 FIFA 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 minimized corners and created a smoother surface for improved play. The ball was designed with traditional colors of the German flag and was accentuated with the golden color of the World Cup trophy.
2010 FIFA 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 3-D panels that were spherically molded for the first time, the Jabulani was more round and accurate than any of its predecessors.
2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil - Adidas Brazuca
The Adidas Brazil 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 soccer fans in the host country.
2018 FIFA World Cup Russia - Adidas Telstar
The Adidas Telstar 18 is Adidas' latest soccer ball innovation. Inspired by the first ever Adidas match ball - the 1970 Telstar, the Adidas Telstar 18 ball is packed with more innovative tech than ever.
Which Adidas World Cup ball is your favorite? Let us know in the comments below.
QPR Kit Clash Against West Brom
QPR faced a major kit clash in their EFL Championship away game at West Brom, wearing their pink away shirt with blue shorts against West Brom's traditional blue-and-white home shirt.
The bright pink of QPR looked surprisingly similar to the white stripes of West Brom on TV, while the blue shorts and dark details made the overall contrast even less clear.
From the wide camera angle, the two teams became difficult to distinguish, creating a frustrating viewing experience for fans.
Nike Kobe 8 Protro 'Mambacurial' Releasing Next Week
Nike is set to officially bring back one of its most famous crossover designs, the Kobe 8 Protro "Mambacurial", releasing on September 19, 2026. First introduced in 2013 as a tribute to Kobe Bryant's lifelong passion for football, the sneaker drew direct inspiration from the vibrant 2013 Nike Mercurial Vapor IX football boot. Thirteen years after its original debut, the model returns under the modernized Protro banner, uniting basketball performance with iconic football heritage. Big thanks to House of Heat.
The shoe faithfully recreates the beloved colorway, featuring a bold gradient across the engineered mesh upper in Red Plum, Pink Flash, and Electric Green. Signature football details define the look, including the oversized forefoot Swoosh that mimics Mercurial boot branding, massive block-letter "NIKE" lettering across the medial flank, and a translucent neon green outsole. Modern Protro upgrades have been implemented beneath the surface to provide improved cushioning and traction.
SK Brann Kvinner 26-27 Third Kit Released
Norwegian Toppserien side SK Brann Kvinner have officially unveiled their new 26-27 third kit, produced by Nike in collaboration with Unisport. The team debuted the vibrant new design during their away fixture against Lyn in Oslo.
The Nike SK Brann Kvinner 26-27 third shirt features a purple base paired with a large, dark rhododendron flower graphic printed across the front. The design honors Bergen's reputation as Norway's "Rhododendron City," known for the vibrant bushes that flourish in gardens and parks across the city. All branding, including the Nike Swoosh, monochrome Brann crest, and sponsor logos, is applied in a contrasting bright pink.
On the back, the jersey includes the inscription "For Bergen" in gothic lettering just below the collar, symbolizing the pride of representing the city on away trips. The new third uniform completes Brann Kvinner's 26-27 wardrobe alongside their traditional red home and dark away kits.
Special Club América 26-27 Kit Font Released
Club América has unveiled a special commemorative kit font for the 26-27 season, celebrating Mexican Independence Day and the club's marquee Clásico matches throughout September. The bespoke nameset replaces the regular squad typography on the back of Las Águilas' primary yellow home shirt, adopting the iconic green, white, and red of the Mexican flag.
The custom numbers feature a deep green base detailed with thin white vertical pinstripes. Embedded along the vertical lines are historic commemorative inscriptions, including the club name, the date "16 - 09 - 1810" marking the start of the Mexican War of Independence, and "INDEPENDENCIA DE MÉXICO". The player names above are rendered in vibrant red with a clean white outline.
To complete the patriotic design, each numeral incorporates a geometric red and cream 3D shadow effect, alongside Club América's crest placed at the base of every digit. The special typography delivers a unique cultural tribute, adding extra identity to the squad's jerseys during one of the most important periods of the Mexican football calendar.
