A New Spin on the Adidas World Cup Ball

https://issnationallab.org/iss360/a-new-spin-on-the-adidas-world-cup-ball/ July 14, 2026 • By Ryan Reeves, ISS National Lab Deputy Chief Scientist This summer, attention across the globe has been focused on the world’s most popular sport and the ultimate competition: the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The last World Cup finals in 2022 drew more than a billion viewers worldwide. The 2026 World Cup is being hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. It has been a very exciting tournament so far. However, fans may notice something interesting if they closely watch the official ball of the World Cup, the adidas Trionda. As the ball bends through the air, you may be able to detect a spin flip—physics that adidas first observed on the International Space Station (ISS International Space Station ) seven years ago.