Yahoo Sports Why do different football competitions have different balls?
Different competitions have different official ball suppliers.
Nike has supplied the Premier League match ball since the 2000-2001 season, though Puma will take over from 2025-2026. Nike also has the Women's Super League contract.
Uefa announced last year that Adidas would supply the Champions League match balls until at least 2027, extending a partnership that began back in 2001.
Puma provide the match ball for all EFL competitions - including the Championship and Carabao Cup - while Mitre do likewise for the FA Cup.
How different can two balls be?
If you went by looks alone, you'd say very.
But the size, weight, dimensions and pressure for elite competitions is tightly regulated.
The ball specifications are set by the International Football Association Board (Ifab), which publishes the laws of football for all national associations.
The Premier League, and all competitions run by the Football Association follow Ifab's 'Laws of the Game'.
Balls used in these competitions must be:
Made of suitable material;
Between 68cm and 70cm in circumference;
Between 410g and 450g in weight at the start of the match;
Of a pressure equal to 0.6-1.1 atmosphere at sea level (between 8.5 psi and 15.6 psi).
These are the dimensions of a size five football - the standard for professional competitions around the world.
What are footballs made of?
While the dimensions of the balls are pretty much set, the materials and technologies used can differ. This can alter the way the ball moves through the air.
Take the Nike Flight - rolled out for the 2024-25 Premier League season. According to the product specifications, the ball is made from polyurethane, rubber, polyester and cotton. It has grooves in the casing, allowing air to travel around the ball and giving it a 'truer flight'.
Then there's the official Carabao Cup match ball - the Orbita 1. Puma says the ball's reduced number of seams and larger panels helps players make better connection.
Before the 2024-2025 season, Adidas announced it would be using more bio-based substances - like sugar cane and wood fibres - than in any other previous Champions League match ball.
That's not to say there aren't any restrictions.
According to Ifab, all balls used in official competitions must be tested, then given a 'Fifa Quality Programme for Footballs' regulatory mark saying the ball has been approved for use.
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