According to Bild, early World Cup balls were crafted from leather and became heavy as stone in the rain.
Today, they are manufactured from synthetic materials and equipped with intelligent sensors.
The evolution of the match ball spans the tournament's 96-year history, with 23 distinct designs deployed across previous editions.
The 2026 ball continues this technological progression, prioritizing aerodynamic consistency and embedded tracking for broadcast and officiating systems.
This shift from traditional materials to smart, data-enabled spheres reflects broader trends in sports technology, where performance optimization and real-time analytics are now standard.
The 2026 iteration is expected to integrate further with FIFA's officiating infrastructure, ensuring tighter synchronization with video assistant referee (VAR) and semi-automated offside technologies.