How the 2026 FIFA World Cup ‘Trionda’ Balls Are Made
The Process explores the complex engineering and manufacturing history of the official FIFA World Cup tournament balls, noting how the 2026 Adidas Trionda includes an internal AI sensor to help track the game in real time.
The 2026 World Cup ball is not just a ball anymore. Inside it is a sensor that tracks movement hundreds of times per second, helping AI systems judge offside calls, deflections, and game-changing moments.
These tournament balls are made at the Forward Sports factory in Sialkot, Punjab, Pakistan, even though the country does not actually participate in the World Cup. This is where four panels, one containing a sensor, are expertly thermally bonded together to make the perfect ball for such an iconic game
We reveal how the World Cup ball is made, why Pakistan's city of Sialkot produces most of the world's soccer balls, how Adidas moved from stitched panels to thermal bonding, and why fewer panels can change the way a ball flies.
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