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Adidas Trionda Balls Used at 2026 World Cup Matches Include Charging and Data Features
The official match ball transmits data via embedded chips and sensors. Protocols include wireless charging stations, hibernation mode, and on-site monitoring to prevent power loss during games.
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At each 2026 FIFA World Cup match a designated person ensures the connected Adidas Trionda balls remain charged, ESPN reported. More than a dozen balls are used per game, with one substituted when another leaves play. Each ball is charged in a wireless docking station before matches.
A ball at zero percent charge requires about 2.5 hours to reach full power, while a fully charged ball lasts up to six hours. Balls enter hibernation mode on the sidelines to conserve energy, and a monitor tracks charge levels on a central screen. Adidas stated it has recorded no instances of a Trionda ball losing power in prior test uses.
Tor Southard, VP of performance and operations at Adidas, said maximum game length and weather conditions set the performance requirements, with reserve balls available as fail-safes. The chip sits embedded in the sidewall of one panel rather than the center of the bladder. Adidas conducted over 300 lab tests confirming the chip does not alter balance, feel, rotation or spin.
The technology was unavailable in the 2022 World Cup match ball. In the Sweden versus Tunisia match, data from a Trionda ball showed a slight touch by another Swedish player that overturned an initial offside call and allowed the goal.
