2026 World Cup: New ultra-precise Adidas connected ball for refereeing

As was the case for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the 23rd edition of the world's biggest sporting competition, which kicks off on June 11, will see technology put to use for referees, particularly for detecting offsides, a foul not always easy to confirm in the heat of the moment. A 500 Hz sensor is located at the heart of the ball. Of particular note is the official Adidas Trionda ball, the competition's supplier since 1970, equipped with a motion detection chip even more precise than the one introduced at the previous World Cup. This model, equipped with a 500 Hz chip from the German company Kinexon, weighs approximately 14 g and detects the slightest movement of the ball: position, speed, rotation, trajectory… Location accurate to the millisecond. This can assist referees in their decisions when doubt remains, especially since this chip is even more precise than the one in the previous edition. It can detect the moment a player touches the ball to the millisecond. It can also be located in real time with even greater precision.