Buy Soccer Balls – Approval Markings

So you’ve figured out the perfect size for your soccer ball needs, maybe its a size 5 soccer ball. Our next step is to understand soccer balls have a lot of markings on them. What do they mean? Aside from the obvious marked sizes of the soccer balls there are also many association logos and approvals that are found on most soccer balls approved for team play. Soccer balls of yesterday varied widely from manufacturer to manufacturer and usually exhibited different play characteristics. Today, soccer balls with association approval logos are made to higher standards and perform more uniformly in play. The various soccer associations have testing procedures and required specifications that ultimately result in more consistent, better playing soccer balls. And that means more soccer ball for your money.

Soccer ball manufacturers pay licensing fees to use official association approval logos on their soccer balls. The manufacturer can then mark the balls as approved for use in sanctioned matches. For example, an FIFA approval mark indicates soccer balls that have been tested for trajectory, shape, balance, bounce, water absorption and velocity by an independent laboratory. There are different classifications of approvals as well, with “FIFA Inspected” soccer balls being less scrutinized as the soccer balls labeled “FIFA Approved.” Most FIFA soccer ball testing takes place at the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Testing and Research.

A lesser category of soccer balls are the International Match Standard balls. These soccer balls marked “IMS Approved” are royalty-free and tested at several different labs. The IMS marked balls still go through most of the FIFA test procedures but skip shape retention and pressure loss tests. The IMS soccer balls are often marked “FIFA Inspected” as a result.

Soccer balls used in competition for the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) are required to have the NFHS approval mark. Major League Soccer match balls can include several panel patterns and construction methods and all are legal in play as long as they are marked with the MLS logo. Soccer balls applying for “FIFA Inspected” or “International Matchball Standard” must pass six tests for weight, circumference, roundness, air retention, water absorption and rebound. Soccer balls applying for the “FIFA Approved” mark must pass an additional shooting test wBuy Soccer Ballshere shape and size retention are measured.

FIFA Approved Soccer Ball
A good example of the highest order of FIFA soccer balls is the Adidas Europass UEFA Euro Match Ball. The Europass features the latest thermo-bonded panel construction and has passed all the toughest FIFA testing procedures giving it the right to proudly wear the “FIFA Approved” marking. The Europass name signifies the Austrian and Swiss flags incorporated into the design.

Understand this is just the tip of the ice berg. Please visit article on soccer terms and the History of Soccer Balls to help you clarify any other soccer questions you have.