As the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 kicks off in the United States, the spotlight is not only on the players but also on a key piece of equipment—the official match ball. Unveiled by Adidas earlier this year, the FIFA Club World Cup 25 Pro Ball is capturing global attention for its eye-catching stars-and-stripes design, innovative technology, and most notably, its “Made in Pakistan” tag.
According to Adidas’ general manager for football, Sam Handy, the ball is the result of 18 months of meticulous development aimed at crafting something bold, loud, and unmistakably American. Yet, beneath its patriotic surface lies a story of Pakistani craftsmanship and engineering precision. Pakistan, known as the world’s football manufacturing hub, is once again proving its mettle on the global stage.
This year’s model is also a step forward in sustainability. Composed of 61% polyurethane, 30% recycled polyester, and 9% viscose, the ball reflects Adidas’ ongoing commitment to eco-conscious design. It features PRECISIONSHELL technology, incorporating a thermally bonded 20-panel structure with debossed grooves to enhance aerodynamic stability and control.
Performance testing was conducted at Loughborough University in the UK, where researchers employed both human players and a robotic kicker to compare the Club World Cup ball with models from the Premier League, Carabao Cup, and FA Cup. While robotic testing showed similar speeds across all models, professional players reported significantly better spin, power, and control with the Adidas ball. One player even recorded more than double the spin compared to the Nike ball. Athletes also noted that the ball felt firmer with a smaller sweet spot, demanding more accuracy but delivering exceptional performance for long, ground-level passes.
The advanced design includes a high-grade butyl bladder, ensuring shape retention and flight consistency. Adidas is so confident in the ball’s durability that it offers a two-year shape guarantee. Additionally, it incorporates a built-in motion sensor capable of sending data 500 times per second, aiding in semi-automated offside decisions, tracking touches, and analyzing player interactions in real time.
This isn’t Adidas’ first venture into high-tech footballs, but the Club World Cup 25 Pro Ball marks a leap from earlier designs like the Questra and Fevernova. Unlike older models that were hand-stitched from multiple materials, the current ball benefits from thermal bonding and a design philosophy that prioritizes aerodynamics over symmetry.
With 63 matches lined up in the tournament, the true test of the ball lies ahead. But early feedback suggests that this sleek, tech-driven football—crafted in Pakistan—is set to meet the demands of the world’s most elite players on football’s grandest stage.
