adidas reveals official match ball for FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 semi-finals & final

adidas has revealed ‘Al Hilm’, the official match ball for the semi-finals and final of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. Al Hilm which translates to ‘the dream’ in Arabic follows on from the official match ball of the group stages Al Rihla that translates to ‘the journey’. The adidas Al Hilm will be exclusively available via adidas.com and adidas retail stores.

The adidas balls feature technology engineered to support the highest game speeds as they travel faster in flight than any other World Cup ball. Al Hilm is revealed with a unique graphic design befitting of an occasion as historic as the final matches of FIFA World Cup.

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, the colour of the FIFA World Cup trophy and the pattern of the Qatar flag. Bold red accents complement the graphic reflecting both the generative architecture of Qatar, and once again, the country’s flag.

“Al Hilm represents a beacon of light on the power of sport and football to bring the world together. 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,” said Nick Craggs, General Manager – Football, adidas.

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 introduced for Al Rihla:

• 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

Leveraging 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 Assistant Referees instant data to help optimise decision making for a seamless fan experience. 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.

The ball was also designed with the environment at its heart as all components have been carefully considered. Al Hilm is the first World Cup semi-finals and final ball made using only water-based inks and glues.