UEFA, Adidas Launch Match Balls for Knockout Stages of Men’s, Women’s Champions Leagues

Players in both the men’s and women’s UEFA Champions Leagues have gotten their first looks at the balls they’ll be hoping to put in the nets to claim victory as the knockout stages of both competitions get underway.

Adidas launched the UEFA Women’s Champions League match ball on Friday, February 10, with a design that “celebrates the vibrancy and unique architecture of the host city” of Eindhoven, Netherlands.

The ball features white star-shaped panels with neon gradient borders. In between those are dark blue panels with neon line art graphics as a nod to Eindhoven’s reputation as the “City of Lights.”

Each iridescent neon graphic represents illustrious landmarks and famous features found across the city – including The Eindhoven Stadium, The Evoluon and a bold and colorful lightbulb.
— Adidas.com

*Click on each image for a larger version. (Photos courtesy **Adidas**)*

Meanwhile, a replica version of the men’s Champions League final ball popped up for sale on Adidas.com on Monday, February 13. With the final slated to be held in Istanbul, Türkiye, this summer, the ball’s design draws heavily on Turkish culture and design.

The white star-shaped panels are bordered in orange and blue. The blue panels in between contain an intricate pattern of gold and silver shapes — including the Champions League logo — inspiring by traditional Turkish artwork and textiles.

The gold in the pattern is a nod to Türkiye’s rish history, while the silver is a reference to the Champions League trophy. Istanbul has hosted the Champions League final once before, in 2005, when Liverpool came back from a 3-0 deficit at halftime to beat AC Milan 4-3 on penalties.

This year will be the first time Eindhoven has hosted the Women’s Champions League final.

Both balls feature Adidas’s full range of ball performance technology. This includes their PRISMA surface texture coating, which offers “a secure grip and complete control, and thermally bonded seamless construction.

The Women’s Champions League knockout stage starts on March 21 and 22, and the final is scheduled for Saturday, June 3.

The men’s Champions League knockout stage begins on Tuesday, February 14. The final will be held on Saturday, June 10.