Al Rihla will be the official ball of the Qatar 2022 World Cup: what is the distinctive feature of the ball?

Al Rihla will be the official ball of the Qatar 2022 World Cup, a ball that according to the manufacturers "moves through the air faster than any other ball in the history of the tournament".

More Qatar 2022 News:

Which teams are currently qualified for Qatar 2022?

"Meticulously designed based on data collection and rigorous testing carried out in Adidas laboratories, in wind tunnels, and on the pitch - where it has also been put to the test by the players themselves - the Al Rihla offers optimum degrees of precision and reliability on the field, due in part to the novel shape of its panels and new surface textures," FIFA detailed in a statement.

The ball has the following outstanding features:

CRT-CORE: the heart of the ball. It provides speed, accuracy, and consistency in the most intense games while retaining maximum shape, air, and rebound accuracy.

SPEEDSHELL: a textured polyurethane leather with a novel 20-panel shape that enhances the ball's precision, stability, and rotation in the air thanks to macro and microtextures, as well as surface counter-relief.

"Soccer is getting faster and faster, and as the speed increases, precision and stability in the air become extremely important," said Franziska Löffelmann, the manufacturer's director of design, graphics, and soccer equipment.

The ball is the first World Cup ball made exclusively with water-based inks and glues.

Al Rihla's first public appearance will be attended by former players such as Iker Casillas, Kaka, Farah Jefry, and Nouf Al Anzi, who will be accompanied by a diverse group of young talent, including some promising players from Qatar, UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt, as well as new generations of players from the Aspire Academy in Doha.

More Qatar 2022 News:

Who are the seeded teams for the Qatar 2022 World Cup draw and how were they determined?