adidas are taking it back to the 70s with the new World Cup ball.
The Telstar 18 will be used by the world's best players as they seek the ultimate prize in world sport at next summer's 2018 World Cup in Russia – and it's an homage to adidas' first ever World Cup match ball from 1970.
The name of the original came from its position as the ‘star of television’. The first ball to be decorated with black panels, the pattern was designed to stand out on black and white televisions, and changed football design forever.
The ball has a brand new carcass that retains the best of the Brazuca, the Official Match Ball of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, while building in new technology to maximise performance. The ball went through extensive testing to ensure it suits the needs of the best players in the world. Some of the leading national and club sides have been involved in the testing process including; Argentina, Colombia, Mexico, Manchester United, Juventus, Real Madrid and Ajax. A progression from Official Match Balls of the past, a brand new panel design features a metallic print execution and texture graphic effect, engineered to provide performance and durability both in the stadium and on the street.
![adidas-telstar-18](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/62fe3f004c3de985c9e10052/647f0883ffe4801b400bf117_Screen-Shot-2017-11-09-at-17.47.44.png)
The Telstar 18 will be available to purchase from adidas global retail stores and adidas.com.