Ready for the Group Stages | New Champions League balls

The balls celebrate the anthems of both tournaments incorporating the lyrics into eye-catching designs. Blue and purple are consistent across both designs. Inspired by the pre-match anthems that reverberate around stadiums at the start of every game, the new designs pay tribute to these iconic symphonies and the irreplaceable feelings of excitement and anticipation that come with them.

Champions League Official Match Ball

Set on a metallic silver background, the men’s iteration of the Official Match Ball integrates a single letter from the recognisable lyric – ‘THE CHAMPIONS’ - onto each of the 12 stars, in an opulent calligraphy style. Visual representations of the musical tones of the song interject the stars, in royal purple, red and blue.

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Women’s Champions League Official Match Ball

The introduction of a bespoke anthem for the UEFA Women’s Champions League in the 2021/22 season, marked the start of a new dawn for the tournament. In honour of that moment, the new design incorporates the lyrics of the song in two of the ball’s eye-catching star panels – creating a unique text in bright orange. The remaining ten stars feature a wavy purple and pink print, using the same words from the anthem to create an abstract and attention-grabbing look.

A few words on the footballs from Head of Global Brand Marketing Football at adidas, Matthew Davidson;

“Last season, we were spoilt with two tournaments that, again, reinforced just how special the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Women’s Champions League are, as football spectacles. Over the years, the anthem has become a highly anticipated moment in the pre-match ritual[...]So, for this season’s adidas Official Match Balls, we wanted to celebrate the important place these songs occupy in the game.”