Select Match balls

What makes a match ball different

Select has made footballs since 1947, and every Select football builds on the 32-panel design the company's founder introduced in 1962. A match ball is built for consistency: a stable flight, a predictable touch and a surface that holds up to a full game.

Thermo-bonded or hand-stitched?

On a thermo-bonded ball (the TB in names such as Brillant Super TB), the 32 panels are bonded by heat, with no stitching. Select says this means the ball absorbs less water and keeps its original weight better on a wet pitch. Hand-stitched balls sew the panels together by hand, and Select says this makes them last longer. Both are sound constructions, so choose by how you play: thermo-bonded if wet conditions matter, hand-stitched if you want a classic build.

Approvals: FIFA Quality Pro and FIFA Basic

FIFA Quality Pro is the highest approval a match ball can carry, and it means the ball has passed FIFA's tests for performance, accuracy and safety. Select's FIFA Quality Pro size 5 balls are made to 68.5-69.5 cm and 420-445 g. FIFA Basic is a lower approval level. Check your league or federation rules, because some competitions require specific approvals.

Ball sizes