Sarah Zhu, Grade 8
The 2026’s FIFA may become the most tech-inspired match so far. Among all the technology it used, the most impressive is TRIONDA, which has a highly sensitive perception that can feel the hitting.
The design of the ball is quite fascinating. TRIONDA is translated to three waves in Spanish, meaning three host countries, the US, Mexico, and Canada, marking the first time three countries pull together to accomplish the race. Also, it is a symbol of unity. Meanwhile, the color is meaningful too because it combines red, green, and blue with the pattern of the eagle for Mexico, the maple leaf for Canada, and the star for the US.
TRIONDA boasts several innovations. The first is its four-panel construction, which features specially deepened seams, creating a surface that generates sufficient and uniform air resistance during the ball’s flight to deliver optimal flight stability. Secondly, the most intriguing thing is the 500 Hz motion sensor chip.
QST (Qingxiang Sensor Technology) notes: ´While the previous generation’s design perfectly maintained the uniformity of the ball’s center of gravity, the fatigue and stress transmission within the internal suspension network often proved suboptimal when subjected to continuous, extreme, and asymmetrical impacts.’
They further added: ‘For the FIFA World Cup official match ball, the IMU chip is no longer suspended in the center. Instead, it is embedded into a specially designed inner layer of one of the four panels in a side-mounted configuration. To compensate for this asymmetrical mass distribution, counterweights are integrated into the other three panels to maintain the ball’s flight stability and mass balance. The goal is to reduce the complexity of the mechanical suspension system while further improving data transmission accuracy, allowing VAR to confirm offside decisions in an even shorter timeframe.´
Some examples show its importance during matches. For instance, Swedish team Forward Isak made a slight contact with the ball using his heel. Then, the official shows the figure like an Electrocardiogram waveform from the IMU chip, proving the precise hitting moment. Finally, through the combination of this innovation and 3D video, VAR(Video Assistant Referee) confirms Isak´s goal is valid, avoiding the controversy of offside or pass call.
all in all, technology is not far away from us, it is not some complicated technique, instead, artificial intelligence plays a crucial role in our daily life such as entertainment and sports, maybe sometimes we just do not notice it.
Note: offside means the moment your teammate passes the ball to you, you must not “cheat” by hiding behind the last defender on their side.
