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With the full line-up of teams set to compete at next summer’s World Cup finals almost finalized, adidas has released the official match ball that will be used in Russia.
The new adidas Telstar 18 is a re-imagining of the first adidas FIFA World Cup match ball, the iconic Telstar that was used at the 1970 tournament in Mexico. The name of the original came from its position as the ‘star of television’. The first ball to be decorated with black panels, the pattern was designed to stand out on black and white televisions, and changed soccer design forever.
The ball has a brand new carcass that retains the best of the Brazuca, the Official Match Ball of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, while building in new technology to maximize performance. A brand new panel design features a metallic print execution and texture graphic effect, engineered to provide performance and durability both in the stadium and on the street. Sustainability has been a key focus of the Telstar 18, with elements including re-cycled backing material and packaging.
But things don’t stop there; the Telstar 18 features an embedded NFC chip – the first time it’s ever been used in an Official Match Ball – making it the most innovative World Cup ball to date. The chip enables consumers to interact with the ball using a smartphone. Upon interaction, each ball generates a unique identifier, unlocking exclusive content and information for the user. The personalized and location-aware experience displays specific details of each ball and provides access to challenges which users can enter in the run-up to the World Cup.
The Telstar 18 will be currently available to purchase at soccer.com.
I think those graphics will look cool in flight…A new sort of MiCoach smart ball? Although NFC has like a 4 in. range I think.