The design of the official ball of the 2026 World Cup could become a determining factor in the scores of the 104 matches that will be played during the tournament. According to new research, the ball known as the “Trionda” is the first in the history of the men’s World Cup to be made with only four panels, a feature that changes the way it cuts through the air and consequently alters the ball’s acceleration, trajectory, and range. As has been the case every four years since 1970, Adidas unveiled the official ball of the 2026 World Cup in October last year. The Trionda attracted attention for its appearance with a tricolor scheme representing the United States, Mexico, and Canada, the host countries for this year’s cup, but it also raised doubts due to its unprecedented structure of four panels thermally bonded together with heat and adhesives, a configuration that made some question the stability of the ball on the field. John Eric Goff, visiting professor of physics at the University of Puget Sound and …