Inspired by three hosts of the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026, the ball comes in three colors (blue, green, and red) to honour Canada, Mexico, and the USA. The name TRIONDA carries similar inspiration, considering it comes from the words “tri,” meaning three, and “onda,” meaning waves in Spanish. Unsurprisingly, the design of the ball is also inspired by waves with a brand new four-panel construction and fluid design geometry. Each of the four panels features colors blue, green, and red that connect to form the triangular shape representing the three host countries.
But the symbolism doesn’t stop there. The ball is decorated with iconography typical of each country: a Maple Leaf for Canada, a Star from the USA flag, and a Mexican Eagle, which are not only featured on the panel designs but also finely etched into the ball base, visible upon close inspection. The designers thought of every detail and added luxurious gold color to symbolize the FIFA World Cup trophy in the golden outlines of the country’s motives across the design.
Data gathering and faster decision-making
In order to improve the ball’s in-flight stability, the designers used deep seams and carefully located debossed lines along country symbols. The icons engraved on the ball enhance the ball grip in wet and humid weather. Adidas Connected Ball Technology has also suffered changes to bring the game to perfection. TRIONDA features an inventive side-mounted chip system. Unlike before, when the motion sensor chip was placed into the centre and kept in place by suspensions, the new 500Hz inertial measurement unit (IMU) is now nested into a specially designed layer in one of the panels. In order to enable continuous balance and fight stability, the designers added counterbalances to the three other panels.
The moving chip technology follows every aspect of the ball movement and sends precise information to the VAR system (Video Assistant Referee) instantly. By using this data and other data about footbal players’ positions and employing AI, the technology helps referees make decisions faster and contribute to the fairness of the tournament. Connected Ball Technology also helps officials in monitoring every touch of the ball, which will shorten the decision-making time, and resolving incidents such as hand touch.
FIFA World Cup 26™ TRIONDA is available in several versions
Following the official launch, the TRIONDA is available for purchase globally starting October 3rd, 2025. The launch campaign gathered numerous football stars, including Lionel Messi, Jude Bellingham, and Lamine Yamal, who had the opportunity to try out the ball before anyone else. The model of the ball that will be used at the World Cup 2026 is priced at €160 ($170) and can be purchased in adidas and other major retailers, or you can order it online at adidas FIFA World Cup Balls. Apart from the FIFA World Cup 26™ TRIONDA pro ball, adidas has also released a series of more affordable TRIONDA balls with similar intricate, colourful designs. The FIFA World Cup will take place from June 11th to July 19th, 2026, and will host 48 national football teams.
Photo credit: adidas
