Cape Town/Herzogenaurach, December 4th, 2009 – Today in Cape Town, adidas and FIFA present the adidas JABULANI, the Official Match Ball for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™.
Comprising only eight, completely new, thermally bonded 3-D panels, which for the first time are spherically moulded, the JABULANI is perfectly round and even more accurate than any ball ever before. The newly developed “Grip’n’Groove” profile provides the best players in the world with a ball allowing an exceptionally stable flight and perfect grip under all conditions.
The name: The name JABULANI originates from the Bantu language isiZulu, one of the eleven official languages of the Republic of South Africa, which is spoken by almost 25% of the population. Literally translated, “JABULANI” means “to celebrate”.
The design: Eleven different colours are used in the adidas JABULANI, the eleventh adidas World Cup ball. These 11 colours represent the 11 players in every team, the 11 official languages of South Africa and the 11 South African tribes that make the country one of the most ethnologically diverse countries on the African continent. The colourful design brings together the tremendous diversity of the country in harmonious unity. Four triangle-shaped design elements on a white background lend the ball a unique appearance in African spirit. And like the outer facade of Johannesburg’s Soccer City Stadium, individual design elements also capture the colourfulness of South Africa.
adidas involved numerous world-class players in the development and testing process. For the adidas JABULANI, adidas partners AC Milan, FC Bayern München, the Orlando Pirates and Ajax Cape Town tested the ball in 2008, contributing to improvements in the surface structure and material composition. The involvement of adidas players will continue to help bring the best football products to market going forward. The adidas innovation team (ait.) is already working on innovations for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™.
The adidas JABULANI will be available in retail worldwide as of December 5th, 2009 (RRP: EUR 119.95). The ball will celebrate its premiere during the German Bundesliga match FC Bayern Munich vs. Borussia Mönchengladbach on December 4th.