The History of the Official World Cup Match Balls

Adidas started to make soccer balls in 1963 but made the first official FIFA World Cup ball in 1970. The first ball used in the World Cup to use the Buckminster type of design.The first ball with 32 black and white panels. The TELSTAR was more visible on black and white televisions (1970 FIFA World Cup Mexico™ was the first to be broadcast live on television).

Telstar Durlast R : West Germany, 1974
The TELSTAR was again used. Another version was the Chile Durlast ball which did not have the black panels.

Tango Durlast: Argentina, 1978 The ball design represented elegance, dynamism and passion.

Tango Espana: Spain, 1982
Adidas introduced a new ball which had rubber inlaid over the seams to prevent water from seeping through. The first ball with water-resistant qualities. General wear from kicking however meant the rubber began to wear after a short time and needed to be replaced during the game. The last genuine leather world cup ball.

Azteca : México, 1986
The FIFA World Cup Mexico, saw the introduction of the first polyurethane coated ball which was rain-resistant. The first synthetic match ball, with good qualities on hard and wet surfaces.

Etrvsco: Italy, 1990
The first ball with an internal layer of black polyurethane foam.

Questra: USA, 1994
FIFA World Cup USA, 1994, official ball which was enveloped in a layer of polystyrene foam.
This not only made it more waterproof but allowed the ball greater acceleration when kicked. The new game ball felt softer to the touch. Improved ball control and higher velocity during play.

Tricolore: France, 1998
By 1998, FIFA World Cup France was played with a ball which sported the French red-white-blue tri-color. A complete departure from the old traditional black and white pattern. The first official World Cup colored soccer ball. The TRICOLORE used underglass print technology with a thin layer of syntactic foam.

ICON Women's World Cup 1999 Match Ball
The first ball specially designed for the Women's World Cup

Fevernova TM : Korea Japan, 2002
For FIFA World Cup Korea Japan, 2002, Adidas created a new ball made up of thicker inner layers to increase the accuracy of the ball in flight.

Fevernova design for USA Women's World Cup 2003

NEW Teamgeist Germany, Berlin and Final Balls 2006
All new Adidas "2006 World Cup Germany" Match Ball
For FIFA World Cup Germany, 2006