○●Al Hilm translates as 'The Dream' in Arabic and features a unique graphic design
●○It will be the official ball for the semi-finals and final, replacing Al Rihla
○●Al Hilm features ‘Connected Ball’ technology to aid semi-automated offside decisions
The official match ball for the semi-finals and final of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ has been unveiled by adidas.
Named Al Hilm, which translates as 'The Dream' in Arabic, follows on from the official match ball used in the tournament so far, Al Rihla, or 'The Journey'.
Utilizing the latest technological advances in ball design, Al Hilm includes the same unprecedented adidas ‘Connected Ball’ technology as Al Rihla, which has proven invaluable in helping match officials making faster and more accurate decisions during this World Cup.
Combined with player position data, the innovation offers video match officials instant data, to help optimize decision making for a seamless fan experience.
By combining the ball data captured by IMU sensors within the ball and applying artificial intelligence, the new technology supports the semi-automated offside system, especially by providing the exact moment the ball is played in tight offside situations. By combining the ball tracking data captured by sensors within the ball and applying artificial intelligence, the new technology provides an automated offside alert to the VAR team.
Johannes Holzmüller, director of football technology & innovation at FIFA, said: “With the development of the connected ball technology, adidas made it possible that an additional important layer of information is available to the video match officials.
"The data from the ball unlocks new insights for storytelling around the unique moments on the pitch at this World Cup.”
The ball was also designed with the environment at its heart - all components have been carefully considered, and Al Hilm is the first FIFA World Cup™ semi-finals and final ball made using only water-based inks and glues.
The design is set on a textured gold base colour which features a subtle triangular pattern, drawing inspiration from the sparkling deserts of the region that surround the city of Doha, the colour of the FIFA World Cup™ trophy, and the pattern of the Qatar flag.
“Al Hilm represents a beacon of light on the power of sport and football to bring the world together," said Nick Craggs, general manager - football, adidas.
"Millions will tune in from almost every country around the globe, united by their passion for the game. We wish all teams involved in the final stages of the tournament the best of luck as they compete on the largest stage that football has to offer."
Designed from the inside out using data from rigorous testing in adidas labs, wind tunnels, and on-pitch, Al Hilm features the same new panel shape and surface textures as Al Rihla, namely:
A CTR-CORE – An innovative core within the ball that is tuned to support fast, precise play with maximum shape and air retention
SPEEDSHELL – The ball’s polyurethane (PU) skin featuring micro and macro textures and a 20-piece panel shape
Al Hilm has a unique graphic design – set on a textured gold base-colour and featuring a subtle triangular pattern, it draws inspiration from the sparkling deserts that surround the city, as well as the colour of the Fifa World Cup™ trophy and pattern of the Qatar flag. Bold red accents complement the graphic, reflecting both the architecture of Qatar and the country’s flag.
The ball encapsulates its namesake, Al Hilm – “The Dream”, as it connects to the twilight hours, where the red sky meets the desert sand at dusk – a time when dreams are set to come true under the floodlights of the Lusail Stadium – the stage for the Final.
CONNECTED BALL TECHNOLOGY
ADIDAS REVEALS THE FIRST FIFA WORLD CUP™ OFFICIAL MATCH BALL FEATURING CONNECTED BALL TECHNOLOGY
01-JUL-2022
•Connected ball technology comes to Al Rihla for sport’s biggest stage, providing the VAR team with precise ball data in real time to support fast and accurate offside calls
•A new adidas Suspension System will allow for the most time-precise motion sensor to ever be used inside a World Cup Official Match Ball, tracking every touch of the game at a rate of 500 times per second
•The 500Hz inertial measurement unit (IMU) motion sensor inside the ball will enable the collection of very accurate ball movement data and transmission to Video Match Officials within seconds throughout the tournament
adidas announces that the Official Match Ball of the FIFA World Cup™ 2022 will feature new connected ball technology, which will be used to enhance the VAR system by providing an unprecedented level of data and information to match officials for making faster and more accurate decisions on the biggest stage of all.
Following its reveal in March this year, Al Rihla will be the first World Cup Official Match Ball to feature this innovation, providing precise ball data, which will be made available to Video Match Officials in real time. Combined with player position data and by applying artificial intelligence, the innovative connected ball technology contributes to FIFA’s semi-automated offside technology and offers Video Assistant Referees instantaneous information to help optimize decision making.
A new adidas Suspension System in the center of the ball hosts and stabilizes a 500Hz inertial measurement unit (IMU) motion sensor, which provides unprecedented insight into every element of the movement of the ball, while making this technology unnoticeable for players and not affecting its performance whatsoever. The sensor is powered by a rechargeable battery, which can be charged by induction.
This new technology developed in close collaboration with FIFA and KINEXON, leaders in state-of-the-art sensor network and edge computing, enables the Video Match Officials to review live data for the first time by automatically providing very accurate information, 500 times per second, on when a player has touched the ball.
It will help inform offside situations as well as assist in detecting unclear touches thereby ultimately improving the quality and speed of VAR decision-making process.
The connected ball technology has been rigorously and robustly tested with a number of professional and grassroots football clubs around the world (including blind testing), namely at the FIFA Arab Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup 2021 in Abu Dhabi, with no perceived change to performance.
Holger Kraetschmer - Head of Consumer Foresight, adidas
Holger Kraetschmer, Head of Consumer Foresight at adidas said, “At adidas we are committed to an active and consistent contribution to enhance the modern game for players and fans alike. From the latest boot technology to hardwear, kits, and now connected ball technology to assist with quick and accurate decision making to improve the experience for all, technology and innovation are at the heart of everything we do. “
Johannes Holzmüller, Director Football Technology& Innovation at FIFA said, “This technology is the culmination of three years of dedicated research and testing by FIFA and our partner adidas to provide the best possible experience for the referees, teams, players and fans who will be heading to Qatar later this year. We look forward to seeing semi-automated offside technology including the connected ball technology in action at the FIFA World Cup™ 2022.”
Dr. Maximilian Schmidt, Global Sports Lead at KINEXON, said, “As FIFA Preferred Provider for Live Player and Ball Tracking our goal with adidas is to use state-of-the-art technology to improve the experience for everyone involved without changing the game of football. We are confident that with accurate live ball data the connected ball technology will enable a new age of football analytics and fan experience.”
Al Rihla – the Official Match Ball of the FIFA World Cup™ 2022 – with its connected ball technology, will be used in all of the tournament’s 64 matches, starting from the first match on 21st November. The raw data captured during the FIFA World Cup™ 2022 through the connected ball technology and transmitted to Video Match officials is fully owned and managed directly by FIFA.
The Official Match Ball with the connected ball technology will not be commercialized or available in retail.
About adidas
adidas is a global leader in the sporting goods industry. Headquartered in Herzogenaurach/Germany, the company employs more than 61,000 people across the globe and generated sales of €21.2 billion in 2021.
About adidas in Football
adidas is the global leader in football. It is the official supplier of the most important football tournaments in the world, such as the FIFA World Cup™, the UEFA European Championship, the UEFA Champions League & Major League Soccer. adidas also sponsors some of the world’s top clubs including Real Madrid, Manchester United, Arsenal, FC Bayern Munich & Juventus, as well as top Federations such as Germany (DFB), Spain (RFEF), Belgium (RBFA), Argentina (AFA) & (as of January 2023) Italy (FIGC). adidas is also partner to some of the best athletes in the game including Leo Messi, Paul Pogba, Mohamed Salah, Paulo Dybala, Karim Benzema, Catarina Macario, Jude Bellingham, Vivianne Miedema, Trinity Rodman, Jennifer Hermoso, Serge Gnabry, Pedri, Joao Felix, Lindsey Horan & Wendie Renard.
•The Semi-Automated Offside Technology (SAOT) will provide an automated offside alert to the video match officials team. VAR (video assist refereeing)
In a significant enhancement of VAR, FIFA is implementing new tracking technology to help streamline reviews of offside calls at World Cup Qatar 2022 later this year.
The so-called Semi-Automated Offside Technology (SAOT) relies on 12 optical tracking cameras, which track 29 points on the body for every player at a rate of 50 times per second, in conjunction with an inertial sensor embedded in the match ball transmitting at 500 hertz.
Artificial intelligence collects and analyzes the data and flags any player that is an offside position. The video officials then manually confirm the automation—the precise moment the ball was kicked and the positioning of the offside line—and relay the decision to the match referee.
“We want to have accurate and faster decisions,” said Pierluigi Collina, chairman of the FIFA Referees Committee.
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