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FIFA World Cup Ball, Trionda, Reaches Space as NASA Studies Football Technology Aboard ISS
Astronauts are studying the Adidas-made ball in microgravity to examine balance, aerodynamics and a 500Hz sensor that feeds Video Assistant Referee decisions.
On Sunday, June 21, 2026, National Aeronautics and Space Administration astronauts aboard the International Space Station began microgravity experiments with the Adidas-made Trionda, the official match ball for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The name Trionda translates from Spanish to 'three waves,' symbolizing the first joint hosting of the FIFA World Cup by Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
Equipped with a Kinexon-developed 500Hz motion sensor chip, the ball features a four-panel structure to optimize aerodynamics and transmit real-time telemetry to the Video Assistant Referee system.
Astronauts are recreating a 2019 sports-engineering study to analyze how internal counter-balances influence stability, ensuring the ball travels predictably without erratic dipping or 'knuckling' when struck.
NASA stated, 'Helping to improve the beautiful game is just one of the ways NASA science done on the ISS makes life better for people on Earth.