Why Qatar World Cup ball is special and travels faster

• Al Rihla ball travels more quickly
• It has 20 panels and is created using water-based adhesive and inks
• It is covered with dimple-like characteristics

At the Qatar World Cup 2022, goalkeepers will have an increasingly difficult task as the Al Rihla ball travels more quickly, Uruguayan goalkeeper Sergio Rochet says.

According to FIFA, the new ball, called Al Rihla in Arabic (The Journey), moves faster than any other in the competition’s history. Rochet told reporters on Sunday that year after year, it gets better for the strikers and extremely challenging with Al Rihla. It pushes the skippers to adapt quickly.

“Year after year, it gets better for the strikers and for us goalkeepers, it gets very tough,” Al Jazeera quotes him.

“This is a very fast ball. We are in a process of adaptation,” the Uruguayan goalkeeper added. Rochet has a valid point; this ball is special and unique.

Qatar World Cup ball. Photo by The Manila Times

WHAT IS THE AL RIHLA LEAGUE BALL?

The Al Rihla ball is composed of 20 panels and is created using water-based adhesives and inks. Twelve of these are larger and resemble an ice cream cone, while eight are smaller triangles with almost equal sides.

This ‘Arabic’ ball is covered with dimple-like characteristics that provide its surface a comparatively smooth feel as compared to its predecessors, as opposed to prior balls that used raised texturing to add surface roughness.

Its seams are broader and deeper to compensate for its smoother feel, presumably learning from the flaws of the too-smooth Jabulani ball. It had the shortest and shallowest seams of recent World Cup balls and was perceived by many players as being slow in the air.

WHO MADE FIFA WORLD CUP BALL 2022?

Adidas unveiled Al Rihla ball as the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022TM Official Match Ball. The FIFA World CupTM’s 14th ball, which Adidas has manufactured, is designed to enhance peak game speeds.

This is because it flies faster than any other ball in the competition’s history. Al Rihla was created from the ground up, utilising data and extensive testing at the Adidas laboratories, wind tunnels, and field of play by actual football players.

That’s in part because of its novel panel shape and surface texturing. Some other key features in design are the following:

CRT-CORE

With the maximum shape, air retention, and rebound accuracy, the centre of the ball provides speed, accuracy, and consistency for quick action and precision.

SPEED SHELL

The textured PU skin, with a new 20-piece panel shape, enhances accuracy, flight stability, and swerve through the use of macro- and microtextures as well as surface debossing.

FIFA’s Director of Marketing, Jean-François Pathy, says it is stunning that Adidas created such a masterpiece.

“This is a stunning, sustainable and high-quality Official Match Ball from adidas that will be enjoyed by stars performing at the top of their game on the world’s biggest stage in Qatar, as well as grassroots players everywhere.

“Al Rihla’s worldwide journey will represent the incredible reach of the FIFA World Cup and give fans a unique opportunity to engage with the event as excitement builds ahead of the big kick-off.

AL RIHLA SPEED SCIENCE

The drag coefficient rapidly increases when airflow changes from turbulent to laminar. A ball in flight will unexpectedly experience a high rise in drag and slow down when this occurs.

The majority of the World Cup balls tested went through that transition at about 36 mph (58 kph). The Jubalani is the exception, as expected, with a transition speed of about 51 mph (82 kph).

Al Rihla. Photo by MSC Football

Given that the majority of free kicks begin moving at speeds greater than 60 mph (97 kph), it makes sense why players thought the Jabulani was slow and difficult to predict.

Every new ball draws criticism from someone, but science indicates that players in this year’s World Cup should feel comfortable with the Al Rihla.

WHAT BALL WILL BE USED IN THE 2022 WORLD CUP?

Sustainability was a top consideration when creating the ball, and Al Rihla is the first FIFA World Cup ball to be produced completely of water-based glues and inks.

Al Rihla ball will make its debut in front of the public alongside legends like Iker Casillas, Kaká, Farah Jefry, and Nouf Al Anzi. They will be joined by a diverse group of talent, including up-and-coming players from Doha’s Aspire Academy and promising female footballers from Qatar, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt.