World Cup to Use High-Speed Adidas Ball

"World Cup: Adidas' Jabulani Ball Promises Higher Scores, Anguished Goalies":

[F]or the 11th year, Adidas earned the right to field its version of what a world-class ball should look like.

This tournament's ball, called "Jabulani," which means "to celebrate" in Bantu, represents advances in both design and innovation.

Rather than being made of leather, which is traditional, the Jabulani ball is constructed of synthetics. Instead of 14 panels, there are only eight, which are held together by thermal bonding, not hand stitching.

That "grip 'n' groove" technology makes for improved wind channeling and, thus, a truer flight, Adidas officials say. Fewer seams also translate into a greater striking surface, making the Jabulani the roundest and most accurate soccer ball ever created.

As a result, this ball is faster than ever -- potentially making for higher-scoring games. That's a plus for markets, like the U.S., where less soccer-savvy audiences are less appreciative of a sophisticated defense than of the primal thrill of a boot into the net.