Football tests

Professional players and up-and-coming stars all need the best possible footballs to be able to perfect their skills. A football must respond in the same way every time it is struck, whether it is in the 90th minute of play or straight from the first kick-off. The smallest defect affects the flight of the ball, its conduct on the pitch and ultimately the entire match.

To ensure the highest possible quality for outdoor, futsal and beach soccer balls and to make it instantly recognisable all around the world, FIFA introduced the FIFA Quality Concept. Footballs are tested in a laboratory and only balls that comply with FIFA’s high standards receive one of the quality marks: FIFA INSPECTED, or the even higher standard, FIFA APPROVED.

FIFA INSPECTED A ball must successfully pass six tests to qualify for this label. The tests check the ball’s weight, circumference, roundness, bounce, water absorption and loss of pressure.

FIFA APPROVED To gain the top FIFA APPROVED seal of quality, a ball must pass each of these six tests under even more demanding conditions. The constancy of the shape and size of the ball is scrutinised in a seventh test. The ball is fired against a steel plate 2,000 times at 50km per hour. The ball passes the test only if all of its seams and air valves remain unscathed and any loss of pressure and changes in circumference and roundness are negligible.

What should you look for when buying a football?

When you go into a sports shop, you will find rows and rows of footballs lining the walls. Choosing the right one almost seems like a game of chance and there is no way of testing a ball before you buy it.

However, if you want a high-quality ball that retains its important properties, you need only to look for the FIFA INSPECTED or FIFA APPROVED quality mark. It is as simple as that!

How the tests are implemented

Inflating

The footballs are inflated with compressed air to a pressure of 0.8 ±0.005 bar.
The air pressure in the football is measured with a pressure gauge, and between the pressure gauge and the needle is a valve through which air can be released. The needle is lubricated with glycerin.

Conditioning

The footballs are conditioned for at least 24 hours in a standard atmosphere of temperature of 20°C ±2°C and relative humidity of 65% ±5%.

more...

Circumference (test for outdoor, futsal and beach soccer balls)

Consistent circumference

The size of a football must meet defined standards. This is crucial for players to make accurate passes and go on thrilling dribbles. Could you imagine everyone playing with different sized footballs?

Nowadays, footballs are inflated to a defined pressure and then the ball’s radius is measured at 45,000 points. The circumference is calculated arithmetically in order to ensure that the circumference is consistent and within the limits at every point.

 > More information about the circumference and sphericity machine (CSM).

Test Criteria for Outdoor footballs

Test Criteria for Beach Soccer footballs

Test Criteria for Futsal footballs

Next test...

Anecdotes from the football archives

Elephant excels in penalty shoot-out

Back in the 1890s, long before there were any FIFA standards governing the circumference of the ball, an elephant caused red faces among the professional players at English club Leicester Fosse when Sanger’s Circus bet that no-one could score past its elephant in a penalty shoot-out using an oversize ball.
Leicester Fosse nominated four players to go up against the jumbo goalkeeper. Three failed to beat the elephant and only William Keech managed to put the ball in the net by outwitting the huge animal after feinting to one side before striking his spot kick.

Roundness (test for outdoor, futsal and beach soccer balls)

Permanent roundness (Sphericity)

Playing with a perfectly round ball is very important.
If a ball is not completely round, it will not roll normally, making dribbling very difficult. Furthermore, it will not fly through the air as expected.
So, despite aiming your shot perfectly on goal, it could easily fly over the goal or past the post.

The radius of the ball is measured at 45,000 points. The differences between each point are calculated mathematically for the FIFA INSPECTED quality mark or FIFA APPROVED quality mark, making it almost impossible to overlook an error on the ball. More information in the table below.

 > More information about the circumference and sphericity machine (CSM).

Test Criteria for Outdoor footballs

Test Criteria for Beach Soccer footballs

Test Criteria for Futsal footballs

Next test...

Anecdotes from the football archives

Cheeky free kick

Gunter Netzer is still acknowledged as one of the most potent dead-ball specialists ever, primarily as a result of his spectacular goals from free kicks struck with bewildering spin that left opposing defenders and goalkeepers standing. In a 1970 European Cup tie between Borussia Mönchengladbach and EPA Larnaca, the Cypriot side’s goalkeeper deliberately lined up his wall well to one side of the goal in fear of the dangerous trajectory of the ball. Netzer simply hit a straight shot into the net and Mönchengladbach went on to win the game 10-0.

Rebound (test for outdoor, futsal and beach soccer balls)

Uniform rebound

Rebound testing checks the elasticity of the ball. Uniform rebound is crucial for players, especially when stopping the ball after a long pass with the chest, foot or head. If the ball does not bounce as expected, how can a player control it or improve his game?

A predictable rebound is important. In the laboratory, the balls are dropped ten times onto a steel plate from a height of two metres. Under controlled temperature conditions, balls must rebound consistently. Please refer to the table below for more information.

Test Criteria for Outdoor footballs

Test Criteria for Beach Soccer footballs

Test Criteria for Futsal footballs

Next test...

Anecdotes from the football archives

Rebound decides game

The goal that put England into the lead in extra time during the 1966 FIFA World Cup™ Final against Germany FR is probably the most famous rebound of all time. Geoff Hurst’s thunderous shot on the turn crashed down from the crossbar onto the ground and the referee controversially awarded a goal. But did the ball cross the goal line?
Despite numerous analyses of the television pictures, experts remain divided. German fans will always claim that it was not a goal. Hurst scored another goal shortly before the final whistle to complete his hat trick and seal England’s 4-2 victory. Germany FR gained revenge at 1970 FIFA World Cup™ in Mexico by beating England 3-2 in the quarter-finals.

Water absorption (test for outdoor and beach soccer balls)

Minimal water absorption

Something as simple as water can make a football lose most of the properties that make it a pleasure to play with. It is vital that a ball does not absorb water like a sponge.

A ball that absorbs too much water will not roll very far if at all, and players will definitely notice it when they head the ball.
The ball must stay afloat as much as possible and not sink like a stone. Under extreme conditions, when it has rained for hours and the ground is soaked, any ball will absorb some water. How much it absorbs is crucial.

The ball is turned and squeezed 250 times in a tank full of water. The ball is not allowed to absorb too much water. Please refer to the table below for more information on how much water balls can absorb for each label.

Test Criteria for Outdoor footballs

Test Criteria for Beach Soccer footballs

Next test...

Anecdotes from the football archives

Waterlogged pitch?

The deft handling of a slippery ball plays an especially important role in one of the world’s strangest football matches, which is held every year on Shrove Tuesday in the English village of Ashbourne, pitting the Up’ards (born on the north of the river) against the Down’ards (from the south of the river) on a pitch with the Henmore Brook running through the middle.
The two goals are five kilometres apart and matches can last for up to eight hours. The ball is made from toughened leather and filled with cork and, when play ends up in the river, the ball can get very wet and slippery – and so can the players ...

Weight (test for outdoor, futsal and beach soccer balls)

Perfect weight

A ball’s weight is important because if it is too heavy, a player needs more energy to kick it or throw it. Excessive weight also increases the risk of injuries, but on the other hand, if a football is too light, it is difficult to control.

In the laboratory, balls are weighed three times in a sealed cabinet to ensure that the measurement is not influenced by external factors. The results must be within tight limits to fulfil the criteria.

Ball weights are specified in the table below.

Test Criteria for Outdoor footballs

Test Criteria for Beach Soccer footballs

Test Criteria for Futsal footballs

Next test...

Anecdotes from the football archives

A game with two balls

Maybe there was a disagreement over the weight of the ball, we will never know, but history books confirm that two balls were used during the 1930 FIFA World Cup™ final, one from Argentina, the other from Uruguay. Argentina led 2-1 at half-time, after using “their” ball for the first 45 minutes, but after the break the Uruguayans used their ball and won the match 4-2. Today, FIFA decides which ball is used in the FIFA World Cup™ and not one of the teams.

Pressure loss (test for outdoor, futsal and beach soccer balls)

Minimal pressure loss

Pressure in a football must remain consistent throughout a match. If it does not, the ball must be pumped up again as soon as possible. That might be entertaining, but it would certainly disrupt the flow of the game.

In the laboratory, the ball is inflated to standard pressure. After 72 hours it must not have lost a certain percentage of its air if it is to meet the definitions of either the FIFA APPROVED or the FIFA INSPECTED quality label.

Test Criteria for Outdoor footballs

Test Criteria for Beach Soccer footballs

Test Criteria for Futsal footballs

Next test...

Anecdotes from the football archives

Pass or shot?

Was it a long pass or an ambitious effort on goal? Whichever the case, Nayim’s unbelievable long-range strike in the closing minutes of the 1995 European Cup Winners’ Cup Final in Paris won the match for Real Zaragoza. Just seconds before the final whistle, the Spanish midfielder won a challenge on the halfway line and fired the ball high towards Arsenal’s goal. Despite the frantic back-pedalling of the English club’s goalkeeper, David Seaman, the 60-metre effort crept in under the bar.

Shape and size retention (test for outdoor, futsal and beach soccer balls)

Shape and size retention

This test applies only to top-quality FIFA APPROVED balls and it ensures that the ball’s shape, pressure and circumference remain constant.
The ball is fired against a steel plate at 50 kilometres per hour – 2,000 times!
The seams and air valves must remain intact and undamaged. Only minimal pressure loss and minimal changes in roundness and (pointer) circumference are permitted.
Only after such thorough testing can the FIFA APPROVED quality label be awarded.

Test Criteria for Outdoor Soccer footballs

Test Criteria for Beach Soccer footballs

Test Criteria for Futsal footballs

Next test...

Anecdotes from the football archives

Sharp shooting

Amlwch is a small club in Wales that may be short on vowels, but it also once ran out of footballs too. During a match against Maesgeirchen in November 1999, each of the four matchballs landed in the Irish Sea in quick succession following some wayward shooting and the match had to be abandoned.

Balance (futsal only)

Balance: Minimal change of direction

Balance is a test only for futsal balls. Why? Because if the ball is not evenly balanced, especially in futsal where the playing surface is smooth, controlling the ball will be difficult.
Under these conditions, great control can be achieved only with perfectly balanced quality balls. If not, controlling its final direction becomes impossible.
The actual test involves rolling three balls down a ramp in 24 different directions to measure the angle of any deviations. This ensures that the balls are controllable in every situation.

Test Criteria for Futsal footballs

Futsal

Futebol de salão – or futsal for short – is the small, little brother of football. In South America, where this version of the game has its roots, futsal was a part of growing up for stars like Pelé, Ronaldo, Rivaldo and Ronaldinho, who all began their careers with futsal. FIFA recognised the potential of this fast-tempo game and has been organising the FIFA Futsal World Cup since 1989.

What is so special about futsal?

The pitch:

Futsal is one of the most popular indoor sports, but it is not only played inside. In Brazil, futsal fills entire open-air stadiums, while in Japan people play on the top of multi-storey buildings. The measurement of the pitch is always the same, however, between 38 and 42 metres long and between 18 and 25 metres wide. The goals measure 3 metres by 2 metres.

The rules:

Two teams of five players (including a goalkeeper) play each other over two halves of twenty minutes each. Up to seven substitutes may be used at any time and without restrictions. Fouls are awarded against the entire team. Beginning with the sixth foul, every foul is punished with a direct free kick. A serious foul results in a two minute penalty.

Technique:

Space is tight on a futsal pitch, which means perfect ball control can decide a match. As well as speed and extremely close ball control, fast decisions are also necessary. Only players with lightning fast reactions will be able to surprise their opponents with unexpected moves.