The Qatari World Cup sets another precedent by giving the final four teams the chance to play with a brand new match ball in the semifinals and final.
Croatia, Argentina, Morocco and France all fought to get this far, and they have been rewarded not only by the prospect of playing for international football’s most prestigious prize but also by becoming the first and only teams that will get to play with the special edition match ball.
The four nations have been on an adventure to get this far, and along with the other teams in Qatar, they have played with the ‘Al Rihla’ ball, which, translated to English, means “The Journey.”
Now, from the semifinals on, the match ball in use will be the “Al Hilm,” which translates as “The Dream”, signifying the dream that all four nations have of winning the World Cup.
The specifications of the match balls are not too dissimilar. Al Hilm will also have the ‘Connected Ball’ technology that Al Rihla has with in-built IMU sensors that have helped the officials make close offside calls at the World Cup.
Al Hilm is made entirely of water-based ink and glue, which is more environmentally friendly than previous footballs used at the World Cup.
What really sets Al Hilm apart from Al Rihla is the unique design of the match ball. It is made with a gold-coloured base, which represents the colour of the World Cup trophy, and triangular patterns which resemble the patterns on the Qatari flag.
The new match ball is unlikely to perform any differently from the former one, so there should be no worries on the part of the players.
Technology is playing a major role at the Qatar World Cup. Not only is it helping officials make critical calls, but it will keep spectators safe and fans engaged, no matter where in the world they’re located.
Here’s a breakdown of all the technology powering the World Cup:
The FIFA World Cup 2022 sets a record as teams from all continents have advanced to the round of 16 for the first time ever.
The Qatar World Cup tournament, which concluded its group stage on Friday, saw a record for the Asian Football Confederation, with three teams (Australia, Japan and South Korea) reaching the knockout stages.
Ahead of the Qatar FIFA world cup 2022, Adidas – an official FIFA partner for the tournament is supplying the match ball for the tournament. The official match ball has been named “Al Rihla”, meaning journey in Arabic.
The relationship between FIFA and Adidas dates back more than 50 years. Since 1970, Adidas has been supplying the official match ball for all FIFA World Cup matches.
When you think about foot ball of soccer games, you never think about advanced technology. But if you’ve been following the World Cup closely, you may have noticed balls being charged on the sidelines. It may seem bizarre, but there’s a good reason that FIFA decided to make the 2022 World Cup soccer balls high-tech.
Football has a sensor inside
The Adidas FIFA world cup soccer ball has a sensor inside that measures data such as speed and direction and allows for ball-tracking and offside calls by the VAR.
The sensor football is powered by a small battery, which can last for six hours of active use and up to 18 days when not in use.
This high-tech sensor football came into the limelight when it was determined that Bruno Fernandes scored a goal and not Cristiano Ronaldo during the match between Portugal and Uruguay. Before, this FIFA world cup match, no one knew about this advanced soccer ball.
Recently, a photo that went viral on social media uploaded by a Reddit user revealed the fluro-coloured balls being charged, like a mobile phone, from a power board before a match.
Help on Ball-tracking during the game
The soccer ball sensor weighs only 14 grams and gives ball-tracking during the game with cameras positioned around the pitch helping referees to determine offsides and other decisions.
Any time a ball is touched or kicked at the FIFA World Cup 2022, the sensors start firing away and pick up data at 500 frames per second. This data is instantly transmitted to the local positioning system (LPS) installed around the field, which stores the information for immediate use.
According to reports, it took three years for Adidas to manufacture balls to be in the FIFA World Cup 2022. Pakistan’s Sialkot city manufactures over 70 per cent of the world’s footballs and is the source of footballs for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Doha, Qatar.
The FIFA World Cup 2022 final will be played on December 18.
More than 5,300 contactless-enabled payment terminals will make FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 the most payment-enabled FIFA tournament ever.
As the world awaits kick-off of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, Visa, the Official Payment Technology Partner of FIFA, has readied a payments network that will enable contactless purchases throughout all official venues, including eight stadiums and the FIFA Fan Festival.
With more than one million fans expected to travel to Qatar for the tournament, Visa has installed 5,300 contactless-enabled payment terminals at official FIFA venues, making FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 the most payment-enabled FIFA tournament ever.
Visa will also trial new payment innovations to give fans easy access to simple and secure digital ways to pay.
The FIFA World Cup provides a global stage for Visa to showcase and test new technologies, enhance the fan experience and leave a lasting impression on the host country.
Visa will bring a number of digital payment solutions to Qatar, including several limited pilots to demonstrate how future Visa payment solutions may come to life:
· Pay with Your Face: Marking the first-time it will be used for payments in Qatar, facial recognition technology is a collaboration between Qatar National Bank (QNB) and POP ID and supported by Visa via tokenization.
The solution allows customers to authenticate payments using just their face, without a physical card or mobile phone after initial enrollment. It will be piloted at three Flat White Specialty Coffee branches.
· Card Art Gets Animated: As consumers become more accustomed to getting things instantaneously, Visa is piloting a digital card issuance solution for limited cardholders in Doha.
After simply scanning a QR code, a digital prepaid card will be instantly issued and can be added to a mobile wallet.
The digital card will feature animated card art, with the official mascot La’eeb, demonstrating a future in which consumers could bring greater personalization and even digital animation to their Visa cards.
· Acepting Payments Gets Simpler for SMBs: In partnership with three Qatar-based banks the Visa Tap to Phone solution is now available to merchants in Qatar who want to fast-track their ability to accept digital payments in advance of the expected tourist influx.
Visa Tap to Phone makes it easier for merchants to use their Android NFC-enabled devices they already own to accept contactless payments—simply by downloading an app.
· Tap to Ride Around Doha: Keeping traffic flowing smoothly during FIFA World Cup has been a top priority and Visa, in partnership with Qatar’s Ministry of Transport, is enabling contactless payment acceptance on taxis so fans and Qatari residents will be able pay for their trips with their Visa card or smartphone, making paying for their journeys in and around Doha faster and more convenient.
Earlier this month, Visa unveiled Visa Masters of Movement, a first-of its-kind hybrid experience featuring an interactive pitch at the FIFA Fan Festival in Doha where fans will be able to create digital art inspired by their own signature movements.
The unveiling ceremony
Dr. Saeeda Jaffar, Senior Vice President and Group Country Manager for GCC at Visa, said: “As FIFA’s long-standing partner, Visa wants to give football fans from around the world the best way to pay in Qatar, while experiencing exciting new innovations such as the fusion of art, football and technology at Visa’s Masters of Movement venue. With thousands of contactless payment terminals, FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ promises to be the most payment-enabled FIFA tournament ever for the more than one million fans coming to enjoy the magic of football.”
Visa has been FIFA’s Official Payment Technology Partner since 2007.
As a global supporter of both men’s and women’s football, Visa aims to offer experiences that bring people closer to the action, whether they are among the one million people anticipated in Qatar or the five billion viewers expected worldwide for this year’s tournament.
In addition to providing the latest in payment innovations at official FIFA venues, Visa seeks ways to further its commitment to uplift lives through the power of sport through programs such as Financial Football, a video game that combines entertainment and education in an action-packed virtual football tournament.
