According to Marca, a major highlight of the new La Liga season will be the brand-new smart football, the Puma Stellar Nitro Ultimate, which will assist referees in officiating and will also be used in other sports and broadcast scenarios. La Liga officials introduced the details, operation, and implementation plan of this football at a meeting with various media outlets.
It is understood that this new football technology will initially only be rolled out in La Liga, and then extended to La Liga 2 starting from the 2027-28 season.
Technical Details of the Ball
Luis Mosquera, a Kinexon Football Data technical expert, introduced the technical details of the football:
"It's a 'normal football with an internal sensor. In actual use, there is no difference from a regular football; it will not have any impact on the game or the trajectory of the ball," Mosquera said.
The sensor weighs 15 grams and can measure any force applied to the football via an accelerometer and gyroscope. It also has a unique feature: it needs to be charged, much like charging a mobile phone, with dedicated charging stations. A full charge takes 90 minutes, and the battery lasts for 5 hours. When not in use, the football enters sleep mode to conserve power.
Each La Liga stadium will be equipped with lockers containing 20 charging stations. Mosquera said, "We can remotely monitor the football's battery level to confirm if they are fully charged."
The football sends information to antennas installed within the stadium. Each stadium has approximately 12 antennas, with the exact number depending on the stadium, to ensure coverage and football position identification, with 3 behind each goal and 3 on each side. It emits 560 signals per second, continuously transmitting to these 12 antennas.
In offside decisions, the football sends a signal to determine the moment of touch. This information is transmitted to the antennas and then synchronized with the optical tracking system for offside, allowing the offside line to be drawn at that frame. It is also linked to the TV signal, so in cases like handball, it can be combined with video stitching to obtain complete information. The information travels from the antennas to the server, then to the VAR room, for appropriate adjudication.
Football Management Process
Ricardo Resta, Head of Football Smart Operations at La Liga, explained the football custody process. Match balls differ from warm-up and training balls, and there is a specific process for their supply and use in matches. Four hours before kick-off, the match director checks if the balls are fully charged. After the warm-up, the warm-up balls are collected, and the 14 balls for each match are officially put into use. For the first time, stands will appear outside the touchline. Ball boys will not disappear; they will retrieve the balls and place them on the stands as quickly as possible. At halftime, the balls will be checked again and handed back to designated personnel. After the match, these balls will be stored until the next game.
Five Scenarios Where the New Ball Will Assist Referees
Eduardo Prieto Iglesias, Head of CTA VAR, outlined five scenarios where the new ball will assist referees: Scenario 1: Spatial disputes in potential offsides, i.e., intermediate touches that could change the final decision, such as the Croatian goal disallowed in the last World Cup match between Portugal and Croatia. Scenario 2: "Invisible" handballs, i.e., foul contacts that might occur in the penalty area but lack clear evidence. Scenario 3: Timing judgment in tackles and extreme challenges – whether a player touched the ball first is crucial information for deciding if an action should be allowed or overturned. Scenario 4: Contested balls, simultaneous challenges, used to determine if a corner kick should be awarded. Rules state that corrections are only made if a corner kick is incorrectly awarded; if a goal kick is incorrectly awarded, no change is made. Scenario 5: Second touches in penalties or other set pieces. Additionally, Prieto Iglesias pointed out that the new ball will help make offside decisions faster. "Undoubtedly, this ball adds another layer of technical support, and it will also be faster," he said.
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