The 2026 World Cup marks the first time the tournament has been held in 3 countries: the US, Canada and Mexico. In addition, this year's tournament is also the first version to expand the number of teams from 32 to 48. In addition, the 2026 World Cup also marks a miracle of modern technology, which is an electronic ball that needs to be charged before each match.
Adidas, a company that has been producing balls for the World Cup since 1970, last year launched a ball called Trionda, using "Connected Ball Technology" to support referees in matches at the 2026 World Cup.
Sharing with the media, an Adidas representative said that the ball will have to be recharged because "the sensor will not work without the battery".
Each ball is charged on a dedicated stand at the competition venue before the match to ensure optimal operation throughout the match and afterwards. The battery meets the highest standards, allowing them to operate many times longer than the duration of a top match," said an Adidas spokesman.
The ball needs about 90 minutes to fully charge and then operates for nearly 6 hours. Sensors will automatically detect when the ball is not on the field and automatically switch to hibernation mode to save a little more battery.
According to a press release from Adidas, the ball contains a 500Hz IMU motion sensor chip, weighing about 14 grams, held fixed by a suspension system, collecting and sending data to the VAR system. Its sensors will track every touch of the ball and can help make decisions about offside situations, handballs and other common incidents.
This is not the first time connecting ball technology has been used in a FIFA World Cup. The Al Rihla ball, used in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, also uses this technology, but the main difference this time lies in the position of the motion sensor chip.
In Al Rihla, the chip is placed in the center of the balloon, but as mentioned above, in Trionda, it is placed next to it. Although the exact reason behind this position change has not been revealed, experts say this decision was made to have enough space for the battery and charging parts.
