From Jabulani to Trionda: see the evolution of the balls used in the World Cup

A study conducted by researchers from universities in the United States, South Korea and Japan analyzed the aerodynamic properties of the Trionda, the official ball of the 2026 World Cup.

Published in the journal Applied Sciences, the investigation used wind tunnel tests and trajectory simulations to compare the new model with its four immediate predecessors, highlighting the design flaws of the Jabulani, used in the 2010 World Cup.

The drag crisis and critical speed
The main factor that differentiates balls is the so-called critical speed, the point where the air flow around the sphere stops being laminar and becomes turbulent, reducing the resistance force. According to the experiments, the Trionda has the lowest critical speed among the tested models, reaching stability at just 11.9 m/s.

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In contrast, Jabulani was identified as an "outlier" in the sport's chronology. Its excessively smooth surface meant that the transition to the turbulent regime occurred only between 21.9 m/s and 26.9 m/s, speeds common in free kicks and corners.

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This characteristic generated sudden changes in the drag force during flight, resulting in irregular and unpredictable trajectories for the players.

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Seams and panels: the secret of roughness
The evolution of design sought to compensate for the reduction in the number of panels with the increase in surface roughness.

While the Jabulani had eight panels and the shallowest seams in the series (0.5 mm), the Trionda is built with just four thermobonded panels.

To avoid excessive softness, engineers equipped the Trionda with wide (5.1 mm) and deep (1.3 mm) seams, as well as three pronounced grooves on each panel.

These elements work on the air layer, ensuring that the ball becomes stable at lower speeds.

Impact on performance and range
Trajectory simulations indicate that physical changes alter the ball's behavior in long-distance shots. The Trionda demonstrated a more stable drag coefficient in the turbulent regime, although slightly higher than that of previous balls.

Read also: remember the balls from each edition of the World Cup

In practice, this means that the 2026 ball may present a noticeable reduction in range on powerful shots without rotation when compared to the Jabulani, which reached greater distances due to its lower resistance at high speeds.

The study concludes that manipulating the geometry of the seams and texture allows modern balls to maintain consistent aerodynamic behavior, correcting the instabilities observed in past editions of the tournament.

Source: CNN