The remaining teams at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar will be kicking around a new ball when the semifinals roll around.
Adidas unveiled the new “Al Hilm” ball on Sunday, December 11. The name is Arabic for “the dream.” It features a gold base with a triangular texture pattern and red and maroon marking all over. The colors and patterns are inspired by “the sparkling deserts of the region that surround the city of Doha, the colour of the FIFA World Cup trophy, and the pattern of the Qatar flag,” according to FIFA.com.
“Al Hilm represents a beacon of light on the power of sport and football to bring the world together,” said Nick Craggs, general manager of football for Adidas.
“Millions will tune in from almost every country around the globe, united by their passion for the game. We wish all teams involved in the final stages of the tournament the best of luck as they compete on the largest stage that football has to offer.”
The Al Hilm ball replaces the Al Rihla model that had been unveiled in March and used in the tournament so far.
Like the Al Rihla model, the Al Hilm employs Adidas’ Connected Ball technology. Sensors inside the ball and artificial intelligence combine with player position data to offer video match officials instant data to help make accurate decisions faster, including the semi-automated offside system in use at this World Cup.
“With the development of the connected ball technology, Adidas made it possible that an additional important layer of information is available to the video match officials,” said Johannes Holzmüller, director of football technology and innovation at FIFA.
“The data from the ball unlocks new insights for storytelling around the unique moments on the pitch at this World Cup.”
Also like the Al Rihla, the Al Hilm uses only environmentally friendly water-based inks and glues. It features CRT-CORE, “the heart of the ball,” which provides speed, accuracy and consistency “for fast-paced action and precision, with maximal shape and air retention, as well as rebound accuracy.” It also features Adidas’s new Speedshell technology, “a textured [polyurethane] skin with a new 20-piece panel shape, improving the accuracy, flight stability and swerve thanks to macro- and microtextures, plus surface debossing.”
The Al Hilm ball will be used for the first time on Tuesday, December 13, when Argentina and Croatia square off in the first semifinal. France and Morocco will play each other in the second semifinal on Wednesday, December 14. The winners of those two matches will face each other in the World Cup final on Sunday, December 18, at the Lusail Stadium in Lusail, Qatar, about 20 kilometres north of the capital city of Doha.
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