Major League Soccer Cranks Up the Volume With 2023 Match Ball

Major League Soccer is cranking up the volume with their 2023 Adidas match ball, which was unveiled on Wednesday, January 4.

The design of the MLS Pro ball is “inspired by the power of music,” according to MLSSoccer.com, and “takes cues from the sonic identities of all 29 clubs to unite fans and players alike.”

The ball is mostly white, with triangular markings all over that fade from red to blue. Across the markings and the base of the ball is a tonal pattern that includes stars, maple leaves, brush strokes and gothic-style lettering that spells out, among other things, “1996,” which is the year MLS began play.

“No sporting spectacle can beat soccer fans in full voice,” reads the ball’s product page on Adidas.com, where it retails for $210 Cdn. “Celebrating the songs and chants that bring MLS stadiums to life, this Adidas ball gives off grungy vibes with music poster-inspired graphics.”

The MLS Pro ball has the same Speedshell construction as the Adidas balls used at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, which the company says improves “the accuracy, flight stability and swerve thanks to macro- and microtextures, plus surface debossing.” The Al Rihla and Al Hilm balls also featured 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.”

The new ball will be used for the first time when Nashville SC hosts New York City FC in the 2023 MLS regular season opener on Saturday, February 25, at 1:30 p.m. ET.