August 28 – On the eve of the Champions League draw adidas has unveiled the official match balls for the league phase of the 2025/26 men’s Champions League and the Women’s Champions League.
The ball made its debut yesterday (August 27) as Qarabag, Benfica, Club Brugges and Copenhagen won their play-offs to fill the final four slots in the 36-team draw today at the Grimaldi Forum in Monte Carlo.
UEFA said “the latest Champions League ball draws inspiration from the night sky. The Women’s Champions League ball, meanwhile, takes inspiration from the deep space and the northern lights – both honouring the stars of the game on their path to Budapest and Oslo, the host cities of the respective finals in May.”
The ball designs retain the iconic Champions League stars embossed on a white base. The Champions League ball takes cues from the night sky, with stars outlined in gold and painted in blue, “complemented by hand-drawn zodiac signs in gold that symbolise heroic deeds and heavenly destiny”.
Both balls are completed with the adidas Badge of Sport logo and the respective Champions League logos.
Adidas said the ball technology has been developed further with “an innovative PRISMA surface with a debossing pattern for improved precision and swerve”; outer texture coating which for better secure grip and control, with a thermally bonded seamless construction; and a groundbreaking CTR-CORE within the ball, “for accuracy and consistency, supporting fast, precise play with maximum shape and air retention. The core consists of two components: a zero-waste bladder containing renewable, natural rubber and the carcass made from a double-patched PES fabric giving the bladder its strength and shape.”
As well as using recycled polyester and water-based ink, the balls are made from more bio-based substances than any previous Champions League official match ball, with each layer adjusted to include materials such as corn fibres, sugar cane, wood pulp and rubber, without impacting its performance.
Adidas said its ongoing partnership with Common Goal will see 1% of all global net sales from adidas footballs donated towards initiatives driving lasting social change for under-served communities.
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