Adidas has unveiled the official 2026/27 match balls for the UEFA Champions League (UCL) and Women’s Champions League (UWCL), marking the end of a long-standing partnership with UEFA.
The two matchball designs, released on August 26, 2026, are Adidas’ final league-phase match balls before Nike becomes the unified supplier for UEFA’s three major men’s club competitions in 2027/28.
Nike agreed to a four-year deal worth approximately $45 million (€40 million) per year, more than doubling Adidas’s previous payment of €20 million.
The change also marks the end of Adidas’ “Star Ball” era. Since the “Finale 1” debut in 2001/02, the German brand has held exclusive patent rights to the interlocking star-panel configuration used in over 50 match-ball iterations.
Nike’s return to Europe’s premier club competition as a ball supplier will be the first since the 1999/2000 final, when Real Madrid defeated Valencia with the Nike Geo Merlin.
Adidas has released two bespoke designs for the men’s and women’s competitions in this final league phase edition.
Paris Saint-Germain, the defending men’s champions, and Barcelona Femeni, the reigning women’s champions, will use their respective balls to begin their title defenses.
Both Pro models have seamless, thermally bonded constructions that improve aerodynamic stability, reduce water absorption, and provide consistent touch. A macro-textured PRISMA outer surface combines with a CTR-CORE interior bladder to promote roundness, shape retention, and balanced inflation during high-intensity play.
The men’s ball is based on the theme of dawn, with a white base covered in metallic, multicolored, fog-like brushstrokes. The design depicts the solitary hours players spend training on cold, misty fields before sunrise. Neon-like details complement a vibrant magenta-pink Adidas logo and cyan and lime-green star borders.
The UWCL ball is designed around the “Ring of Light” concept, which is inspired by the 11 stars on the competition’s official emblem and represents 11 players coming together on the pitch. The white base is accented with sweeping lines in gold, orange, and deep purple, and the black Adidas logo completes the look.
Adidas has also put together a high-profile roster of players for the global campaign. Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham models the men’s ball in a three-stripe tracksuit against a pink backdrop, while Liverpool’s Rio Ngumoha is shown tracking it in midair.
Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard and Como 1907 playmaker Nico Paz are also involved.
The women’s campaign features Manchester City winger Chloe Kelly and Barcelona Femeni youngster, Vicky Lopez both photographed against a deep purple backdrop that matches the ball’s color scheme.
Both tournament-ready Pro balls and scaled-down training versions are now available worldwide from major sports retailers and official Adidas stores. The launch combines a product change with the discontinuation of one of the competition’s most well-known visual traditions.
The star-panel format has been closely associated with Champions League football for more than two decades, so these designs are significant beyond their individual graphics before the supplier change takes effect.
