The Times of India

Football world cup goes orbital: FIFA's official 2026 match ball 'Trionda' reaches ISS for Nasa experiment

The official ball for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Trionda, took an extraordinary journey to the International Space Station. Astronauts studied its movement and balance in microgravity as part of a NASA experiment. This research aims to enhance football performance and understand how embedded technologies, like the ball's motion sensor, impact the game, offering a unique blend of sports and space science.