What is the Adidas Trionda connected ball at WC2026?

The Adidas Trionda is the official WC2026 match ball. The name is a portmanteau of 'tri' (three host nations: US, Mexico, Canada) and 'onda' (Spanish for 'wave'). Its panels feature the red, green and red-white-blue accents of the host federations. Adidas has been the World Cup ball supplier since 1970 — this is its 15th tournament running.

Inside the ball: a battery-powered inertial measurement unit (IMU) at the centre, suspended in a foam cocoon so it stays balanced as the ball rolls. The sensor transmits 500 readings per second over wireless to the VAR centre, providing the precise moment a player makes contact with the ball.

Why that matters: in offside reviews, the system can pin the exact frame the ball was struck rather than estimating from broadcast cameras. The 2022 World Cup quarterfinal against the Netherlands famously saw the Argentina vs Netherlands offside decisions delayed minutes — with Trionda data, the same call is now made in 15-20 seconds. Handball reviews benefit similarly: the sensor confirms whether contact preceded a goal or not.

Connected Ball Technology (CBT) was introduced at WC2022 with the Al Rihla ball but had a lower sample rate. The Trionda triples that. The ball also passes the standard FIFA Quality Pro testing — weight, circumference, water absorption, bounce, sphericity — at the higher 500Hz spec.