We take a closer look at the technological features of the Adidas Al Rihla ball used in the Qatar 2022 World Cup. The version of this ball, specially produced by Adidas for the tournament, needs a chip, gravity sensor and, of course, a charger that allows the accurate detection of the goal not awarded to Christiano Ronaldo.
The name of Al Rihla, the official ball of the World Cup, means “journey” in Arabic. It is stated that the design of the ball was inspired by the architecture of Qatar, the boats that are the symbol of the country, and the Qatari flag. The white color symbolizes a homage to the pearl industry of the country.
The outer part of the ball is designed to be one piece like a shell, so that the ball does not cause problems in matches to be played in a hot region. Thus, it was aimed to make the ball more accurate and balanced.
The first point that draws attention is the CRT core structure, which will enable the ball to be faster and more accurate in high-tempo matches. Moreover, the company tested the ball not only with random shots, but also with wind tunnels. The sensor in the center of the ball collects 500 data per second and sends it to the data centers. This is important both for the semi-automatic offside system and for player evaluations.
A system called CBT (Connected Ball Technology) uses sensors placed inside the ball to share information during the match. Especially for the VAR system, the information sent by these sensors is of great importance. Because the exact position of the ball, the exact moment it comes off the foot, can be known with the help of artificial intelligence.
The inside of this ball is not just filled with gas, as it normally is. Inside the ball, there is a structure called the Suspension System in the middle region. This structure also serves to balance and protect the 500Hz internal measurement unit. The sensors and chips are balanced inside the ball as if caught in Spider-Man’s webs, they don’t get swept back and forth. These sensors and chips can be charged by induction.
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