For the 22nd World Cup, FIFA introduces the event match ball, Al Rihla. Al Rihla is the official match ball for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. It is the 14th successive ball that Adidas has created for the FIFA World Cup, designed to support the game at high speed as it travels faster in flight than any other World Cup ball.
Key takeaways:
- Al Rihla is the name given to the official World Cup ball
- Al Rihla translates as “the journey” in Arabic
- The official match ball was made in Pakistan
Content Summary
Fifa World Cup 2022 Official Match Ball
Al Rihla is the official match ball for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. World cup winners Iker Casillas and Kaka inaugurated the official World Cup match ball. FIFA organized a grand event in Qatar, Doha, to inaugurate the official match ball. Argentinian superstar Lionel Messi and Korean footballer Son Heung-min are the official promotional faces of Al-Rihla. The World Cup will start on November 21st. 32 countries from all around the world will compete to put their hands on football’s most prestigious trophy.
Al Rihla translates as “the journey” in Arabic and has been inspired by the architecture, iconic boats, and the flag of Qatar. The ball was designed with the environment at its heart. It is the first World Cup ball made using only water-based inks and glues. The match ball was designed after rigorous testing in Adidas labs and wind tunnels. On-pitch, Al Rihla provides the highest level of accuracy and reliability on the field of play. The reason is due to its new panel shape and surface textures.
It has an innovative core within the ball that is tuned to improve accuracy and consistency. The ball supports fast, precise play with maximum shape and air retention.
Fifa World Cup 2022 Official Match Ball was made in?
The official match football for the upcoming FIFA World Cup has been produced in Pakistan, making it the country’s significant contribution to the mega football event. Pakistan is famous and has a brilliant reputation for the manufacturing of sports goods. Pakistan-made sports goods and kits are used all around the world in different sports.
Adidas has been manufacturing the balls for the mega event consecutively for the past 14 years. Pakistan has been the official makers of match-ball since the 1982 FIFA World Cup. However, Pakistan did not make official match-balls in 2010 and 2014 but was provided contracts for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
FIFA World Cup is set to commence in Doha, Qatar on 21st November. Pakistan itself is not qualified for the event. However, the official match balls will be from Pakistan.
A total of 3,000 footballs will be used during the World Cup in Qatar while their replicas sale target is eight million. Ball weight ranges from 425 to 445 grams while its size is from 68.8 cm to 69.3 cm. According to FIFA, it has been designed to back peak game speeds as it travels faster in flight than any ball in the tournament’s history.