Considering that conventional outdoor soccer is the most popular sport in the world, it makes sense that soccer enthusiasts would eventually start playing with soccer balls indoors. Indoor soccer actually has a soccer history nearly as long as conventional soccer with the first indoor match being recorded in Canada in 1885, but the indoor version of the sport didn’t really take off until the 1920’s when the world’s first indoor soccer leagues were formed in Boston and New York City. Today, the popularity of indoor soccer is growing rapidly in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil and the United Kingdom.

Indoor soccer is loosely based on conventional soccer, but the rules, equipment and “field” have been modified to suit the indoor environment. Indoor soccer ball fields are smaller than regular soccer fields and usually played on hard surfaces like basketball courts. The teams, goals and soccer balls used indoors are smaller too. Most indoor leagues use specific indoor soccer balls in size 4 that are covered in felt or some other type of non-skid, non-marking outer shell. Indoor soccer goals are sized down to fit the smaller “fields” and are about the size of a hockey goal. Indoor soccer teams usually consist of just six players (including goalkeeper) per team.

The most surprising and unique element of indoor soccer may be the fact that the soccer balls can be bounced off one or more walls during play without penalties. The result is a much faster-paced game played in a smaller space with fewer delays. The walls must be at least six-feet high for most indoor league play, but if higher walls are present, they are utilized, with only the ceiling being “out of bounds.” Indoor soccer ball matches are usually an hour long, divided into four 15-minute periods. There are no offside rules in indoor soccer ball games, but conventional soccer contact rules do apply although most indoor leagues ban sliding tackles due to the hard playing surfaces.

If you love to play conventional soccer and live in a cold winter weather climate, indoor soccer might just be your game because it can be played all year long. If you love conventional soccer and want to play a more hyperactive and condensed version of the game, indoor soccer could be your game. If you are not a soccer ball player yourself, but love to watch the action as a spectator, the furious pace of indoor soccer ball action could turn out to become one of your favorites. Any way you slice it, you owe it to yourself to check out an indoor soccer ball match.

Buying a soccer ball is a matter of selecting the right ball for your needs at the right price. The process boils down to choosing the size and construction of the ball based on the player’s age and league requirements. Correct ball size is usually determined by age, with the younger the player, the smaller the ball in most cases. After you establish the size of your soccer ball, cost becomes a factor in selecting the construction of the ball. Regardless of size, the construction of the ball and material it is made of is the biggest factor in cost, with various synthetic-leather balls being the most expensive and basic rubber-type soccer balls costing the least.

High-quality leather is no longer the favorite choice for soccer balls because it just isn’t as durable as the synthetic materials are. Leather balls can begin to absorb moisture over time, making them heavier and slower on the field, both undesirable qualities for soccer balls.Looking at cost alone, there are three basic categories of soccer balls. The balls used in professional international World Cup matches meet all Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) requirements and are imprinted with the organization’s logo on the ball. They are also the most expensive type of soccer ball. In the midrange of cost are the match balls used in college and high school competition. Recreational and training balls fill out the least expensive category. Commemorative balls, collectible balls and team balls can be found in any category, but will always cost more than comparable plain balls of the same type.

There are several types of material used in soccer ball construction with most being proprietary blends of polyurethane (PU), polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and common rubber or nylon. The best and most expensive PU balls feel like real leather and are very firm, durable and water-resistant. The less-expensive PVC balls are also very durable but often have glossy outer coverings that are not as soft and responsive as the PU-blend balls. Common rubber and nylon balls can present a real value because they cost the least and last the longest. Although the rubber and nylon soccer balls lack the feel of match balls, they do work well for practice and training even though they are not used in any official leagues.

When shopping for soccer balls you will quickly notice that they are all clearly marked in three sizes with the smaller the size number, the smaller the ball. Instead of using a basic 1, 2, 3-size range, soccer balls use sizes 3, 4 and 5. Generally, the youngest players start with the smallest size 3 balls, and as they grow in age and skill, progress through size 4 to size 5 balls. An exception would be indoor soccer leagues that use only size 4 balls due to their smaller playing fields and smaller goals.

The size 3 soccer balls used for beginners and children under 8 years old are about 23-inches in circumference and weigh 12-ounces. Size 4 balls are designed for players between the ages of 8 and 12 and weigh about the same as the smaller balls at 12-ounces but move up in circumference to just over 25-inches. Size 5 soccer balls are designed for use by all players 13 and older and are built to the international standard size for all sanctioned competition. The size 5 balls, also known as adult soccer balls, weigh about 15-ounces and have a circumference of 28-inches. Most of the soccer balls on the planet today are size 5 balls.

Additional factors to consider in soccer ball construction are the lining and the bladder of the ball. The linings are the layer of construction underneath the outer covering and control the shape and feel of the ball. The bladder contains the air inside the ball and also contributes to shape and responsiveness.

The most expensive professional and match soccer balls usually have four layers of a combined cotton/polyester-blend lining. Mid-range balls generally have two layers of cotton and two layers of polyester as lining, while the least expensive balls feature only two layers of polyester lining.

Soccer ball bladders come in two different varieties; latex and butyl. The latex bladders are considered the best, most responsive type of ball construction, but they don’t hold air as efficiently as the butyl bladders and need attention to proper inflation. Latex bladders are found on the highest-quality balls. Butyl or butyl-blend bladders hold their air better than latex but are harder and generally less responsive in play. The most common type of bladder found in mid-priced balls will likely be a blend of 80% butyl with 20% rubber.

One more choice you’ll have to make is the number of panels on your soccer ball. The panels influence the aerodynamics of the ball and how much control the player will have using it. The fewer the number of panels equals more air resistance and better control because the player can get the ball to curve in flight. A 32-panel constructed ball is the type used in most international soccer competition. Major League Soccer in the United States uses an 18-panel ball for a bit more ball control, and most indoor soccer leagues use balls with just 6-panels for the fast action on the smaller fields used indoors.

Panels on high-end soccer balls are hand-stitched with polyester-type synthetic threads. Most mid-priced soccer balls have the same high-quality thread but are machine stitched to reduce cost. Low-cost practice and training balls will usually have panels that are glued together over the lining.

You can compare ball construction features and mix and match the materials to suit your needs and price range. Good all-around soccer balls are relatively affordable, ranging from $20 to $80 and good practice balls can be purchased for as little as $15 in many cases. The price goes up for specialty balls though, with a Nike Mia Hamm autographed match ball retailing for over $200. For most young players, an inexpensive training ball is usually sufficient.

The biggest names in soccer ball manufacturing today are Adidas, Nike,Voit, Puma, Brine, Diadora and Fifa. The companies offering the most popular indoor soccer balls are Brine, Voit, Spectrum and Champion. And the best place to find the best deals on those soccer balls is right here at Soccerballs.com.

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.

Indoor soccer had a rocky start and continues to struggle with standardizing rules and governing organizations. Despite beginning nearly parallel to the development of conventional soccer back in 1885, indoor soccer has never enjoyed a stable international sanctioning organization. Or even a steady national organization on any continent. Indoor soccer has been popular in the Americas since the ’20 and 30’s, but it wasn’t until 1970 when the North American Indoor Soccer League was formed that indoor soccer had an organizing body. It has been a rocky road for indoor soccer ever since then, and today the United States Indoor Soccer Association is the central governing organization. Here are some of the changes indoor soccer has endured in the last 40 years:

1970 – The North American Indoor Soccer League is formed to hold indoor soccer games and tournaments.

1973 – The World Indoor Soccer Association is formed and hosts first match in Toronto, Canada.

1974 – North American Soccer League USA team plays the Soviet Army in the world’s first televised indoor soccer game.

1975 – North American Soccer League stages indoor tournaments through 1979.

1978 – Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) is formed.

1979 – Major Indoor Soccer League combines with North American Soccer’s
indoor league,

1984 – American Indoor Soccer Association is formed, runs through 1990.

1985 – North American Soccer League ends.

1986 – Southwest Indoor Soccer League (SISL) forms.

1988 – Southwest Independent Soccer League expanded to include outdoor

1990 – MISL becomes Major Soccer League (MSL).

1996 – SISL soccer becomes the I-League.

1992 – MSL ends.

1993 – Continental Indoor Soccer League (CISL) is formed.

1995 – CISL ends.

1997 – Eastern Indoor Soccer League is formed.

1998 – World Indoor Soccer League is formed – and ends.

1998 – I-League ends.

1998 – United States Indoor Soccer Association is formed.

2001 – Major Indoor Soccer League is reformed.

2008 – American Indoor Soccer League ends.

2008 – Major Indoor Soccer League ends.

At present, the United States Indoor Soccer Association is the single largest (and only remaining) central governing body for indoor soccer ball sports.

United States Indoor Soccer Association
1340 N. Great Neck Road, Suite 1272-142
Virginia Beach, VA 23454

The vast majority of soccer balls produced in the world today are in sizes 3, 4 and 5. The smaller size 3 and 4 balls are intended for youth play and the size 5 soccer balls are the international standard size for ages 13 and over. Size 5 soccer balls dominate the market and there are more size 5 balls in the world than all other sizes combined. However, size 1, 2 and 3 soccer balls, also known as mini soccer balls, do exist, you just won’t see them in play anywhere.

Mini soccer balls are mainly used as novelty or promotional items. Some people do utilize mini balls for indoor soccer ball control practice drills, such as juggling the ball with the feet, but most mini soccer balls don’t see much use other than as desktop or mantle display items. The most expensive mini soccer balls are constructed just like their larger size 5 counterparts with stitched multiple panels, and inflatable bladders. The cheapest mini balls are strictly decorative items made of non-inflatable hard plastic. Between the two extremes there are mini soccer balls constructed in a variety of materials at different price points.

If you plan on kicking your mini ball around at all you’ll need to purchase one made like the real thing, but many minis are created solely as promotional items with custom or advertising imprints on them. Unlike match soccer balls, promotional balls make great display items and conversation pieces even though they can’t really be used for any play. Most soccer fanatics own a few mini soccer balls. They are also great advertising tools for soccer-related businesses or soccer events. Mini balls can also be very affordable, especially when ordered in bulk. The next time someone tells you that soccer balls only come in sizes 3, 4 and 5, you will have to politely correct them and tell them about mini soccer balls.

A good example of a very useable mini soccer ball is the Adidas LA Galaxy TeamGeist II. This mini is about half the size of a standard size 3 soccer ball and features excellent feel and durability thanks to a machine-stitched, nylon-wound construction over a real butyl air bladder. This mini is perfect for indoor practice drills as well as display thanks to the official Galaxy team graphic imprint.

Mini promotional balls can be imprinted with anything you want to pay for. The result is a very nice advertising and display tool for all soccer-related business purposes.

The world of high-tech electronic gadgetry found its way into soccer balls, but didn’t stay long. Beginning in 2003, Adidias and the German Cairos Technologies Company worked out a new “smart” soccer ball containing a microchip sensor that allowed a computer to track the location of the ball on the field. The idea was hatched to reduce the number of bad calls made by referees and the bad behavior of fans after those bad calls. Similar to Instant Replay used at NFL games, the smart soccer ball was hoped to provide instant accuracy on close or disputed referee rulings. However, real world testing has proven otherwise for the time being.

Adidas introduced the new product as the Teamgeist soccer all and tested it in 2005 at the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Cup in Peru. The technology inside the ball was durable and highly accurate, but did not prove indispensable because the only tracking capability applied was the determination of whether or not the soccer ball had crossed the goal line. With only a few goals per team scored in a typical game, the technology was not really needed and certainly didn’t change the results of any calls at the goal. At the time, Adidas and the FIFA were planning to utilize the Teamgeist at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, but the electronic tracking system inside the soccer ball was scrapped after testing at the Peru matches. The soccer ball was approved for international play by FIFA but no word has been released on when the system will be tested publicly again.

The ball was re-launched with a plus sign (+) in front of the name and appeared at the 2006 World Cup in Germany as the Adidas +Teamgeist soccer ball. Even without the electronics inside it, the +Teamgeist is still probably the most modern soccer ball ever produced. The +Teamgeist claims to be the roundest soccer ball ever produced thanks to its 14 bonded-panel construction. Adidas had been the official supplier of standard 32 stitched-panel World Cup soccer balls since 1970 and the 2006 matches marked the first time a 14-panel, thermo-bonded ball had been employed in World Cup soccer. The bonded construction used on the +Teamgeist is claimed to deliver more consistent trajectory and overall performance while being the most waterproof soccer ball ever.

The +Teamgeist match soccer balls used at the 2006 World Cup were also some of the most modern looking soccer balls ever used, with the name of the stadium, the teams, the date and the kick-off time of each game printed right on each soccer ball. Adidas delivered over 2,000 +Teamgeist match balls to FIFA with each of the 32 member federations receiving 40 match balls for training.

Not everyone was immediately sold on the +Teamgeist soccer ball however, fewer panels means fewer seams, and that characteristic can make the ball bounce unpredictably when it is not spinning. Like a knuckleball pitch in baseball, the +Teamgeist has frustrated a few goalies with its flight characteristics. Some World Cup players claimed the ball was too light and had a vastly different performance when wet. Some criticized the soccer ball for having a slippery feel. The Albanian National Team even tried to blame some of their Cup match losses on the +Teamgeist.

The +Teamgeist soccer ball has proven very popular with the rest of the world though, as the ball now sells briskly in a dozen different varieties ranging from inexpensive practice soccer balls up to full-blown international tournament versions. As the world’s leading manufacturer of soccer balls, Adidas estimates they will sell over 10 million FIFA World Cup match soccer balls alone. With Adidas being the official soccer ball supplier for FIFA, the +Teamgeist will also be present at the 2010 World Cup. The only question now is whether or not it will contain electronics at that date.

Some people claim the roots of playing with soccer balls go all the way back to ancient China. Others point to various soccer ball type games played by the early Greeks and Romans. Then there are the ball games played by the pre-Columbian tribes of South America. A bit later the Italians developed a ball game that they later introduced to the English. Most of those early games were unlike modern soccer ball matches mainly because they all allowed the use of both hands and feet. The early English games also allowed the use of hands in a sort of rugby-soccer combination game where almost anything was allowed in order to get the ball across the goal line. Those early English games often resembled all-out mob riots where many people were injured. By 1314 the King of England had outlawed the violent games altogether. It wasn’t until 1605 that the game evolved into true soccer ball style football and was legal in England again. By the end of the century soccer was the most popular sport in the country and received royal patronage from the King (Charles ll).

Across the Atlantic at the Jonestown settlement in the early 1600’s, American Indians were playing a rough game kicking a ball across mile-long fields. The Indian games were a combination of competition and celebration involving hundred’s of participants and often lasted several days. By the early 1800’s the modern version of soccer had been adopted in England and the United States. The best real start date we can estimate for the birth of soccer ball sport as we know it today is in 1863 when the Football Association was founded in London.

1863 – The Football Association is founded in London, England.

1871 – Sheffield FA played London FA in one of the first regional matches.

1872 – First international football match is held between teams from England and Scotland.

1883 – The International Football Association Board is formed in England.

1885 –The first international match with soccer balls is played (USA vs. Canada) in the United States.

1888 -The first professional soccer ball players are allowed in the game.

1888 – The penalty kick is adopted into the rules for soccer balls.

1904 – The Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) is established in Paris.

1908 – Playing with soccer balls is included in the Olympic Games.

1913 – FIFA becomes a member of the International F.A. Board.

1930 – The first FIFA World Cup soccer ball event is held in Uruguay.

1938 – The first live telecast of a soccer ball game in England by the BBC.

1955 – The first European soccer ball club matches are held.

1958 – First live worldwide TV coverage of a soccer ball game at the World Cup.

1966 – The first instant replay cameras are used at the World Cup.

1970 – The World Cup soccer ball games in Mexico are relayed to Europe by satellite.

1985 – The First FIFA soccer ball games are played in China.

1991 – The first FIFA World Championship for Women is held in China.

1993 – Edson Arantes Do Nascimento, otherwise known as Pele’ the most famous soccer ball player in the world, is inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame

1996 – Major League Soccer (MLS) is started in the United States.

1999 – The Women’s World Cup final is held in Los Angeles and is the most-viewed women’s sporting event in television history.

2000 – The first World Cup Championships are held in Brazil.

2002 – The first World Cup soccer ball event outside Europe and the United States is hosted by Japan and Korea.

2004 – Professional soccer ball players from United States MLS teams begin migrating to European teams.

2007 – David Beckham signed with the Los Angeles Galaxy team, becoming the highest paid soccer ball player in history.

The Brine brand of match soccer balls started out in 1923 as an athletic equipment manufacturer in Massachusetts. The company concentrated on lacrosse equipment until the early ‘60’s when Brine began focusing on top-quality soccer balls and other soccer equipment. Today Brine is well known for its innovative contributions to match soccer ball manufacturing. Brine was the first company to construct its soccer balls using a synthetic-leather outer covering. Other Brine firsts’ include the first true round inner soccer ball bladder and the first soccer balls to feature an unconditional guarantee. Brine soccer balls are also the official match soccer balls of the National Collegiate Athletic Association. The Brine motto “Find Your Game” could also be interpreted as “Find Your Soccer Ball” due to the high quality and excellent value of the Brine family of soccer ball products.

Brine BC105 Championship Match Soccer Ball

The Brine BC105 is the official match ball for National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) tournament games. The BC105 soccer ball features a high-performance polyurethane outer cover with 4-ply backing and a premium latex air bladder. A 3-year unconditional guarantee comes with all BC105 soccer balls.

Retail price – $129.99

When buying a soccer ball, there are various factors to consider, and people often wonder what the difference is between a cheap soccer ball and one that is triple the price.When it comes to soccer balls, the price varies because of the materials used – but if you are buying a ball for a child, then two cheap soccer balls are better than one expensive soccer ball!

The cheapest soccer balls are rubber or nylon based and moulded from plastic-like materials. They are very durable, scuff resistant and water resistant. This means that a cheaper ball offers more wear and tear for your cash, and you won’t be too upset if you loose it in your neighbour’s garden!
The downside to cheap soccer balls is that they offer less feel and softness than an expensive ball, so you will lose the ‘professional’ quality touch. Cheap soccer balls usually have tough inner butyl air bladders that rarely need attention and their plastic construction provides great protection from the elements.

In the mid-price range, are polyvinyl chloride soccer balls (PVC) and they offer all of the benefits of costly synthetic-leather soccer balls for feel and the cheaper plastics for durability – so these balls actually feel like leather and they are only slightly less durable then professional-grade soccer balls. PVC soccer balls also have a glossy finish, so for a little extra cash, you can have many of the same benefits of a professional soccer ball for half the price.

At the top end of the market are synthetic-leather soccer balls, and these are the best quality professional soccer balls. The synthetic leather is actually high grade polyurethane (PU). The PU match grade balls offer superior feel and softness but they are less durable and water resistant than the cheaper PVC counterparts and they are far more expensive. The latex air bladders inside the PU balls do not air as well as the cheap soccer balls with butyl bladders either..

So, you do not need to spend a fortune to get a good soccer ball – in fact, cheap soccer balls can actually be better value for money than expensive soccer balls, and you won’t be afraid to use them for a bit of rough and tumble!

The Puma brand of soccer balls and soccer equipment began with a curious start. In post-war 1948 Germany, two Dassler brothers had a falling out and started competing soccer shoe and soccer equipment companies in the same town. Surprisingly enough, both companies are still producing soccer equipment today. In fact, those little companies the two Dassler brothers started in 1948 are now two of the biggest names in sports equipment, soccer accessories and soccer balls in the world today; Puma and Adidas.

Rudolph Dassler and his brother Adolf used their own names as company names in the beginning. Adolf’s nickname was Adi and he combined the first three letters of his first and last names to come up with the now very familiar Adidas brand name. Rudolph named his soccer ball outfit using the first two letters of his first and last names resulting in Ruda. The Ruda company name was changed to Puma Schuhfabrik Rudolph Dassler shortly later and the rest is soccer ball history.

Although Rudy’s Puma soccer ball brand may have been eclipsed a bit by the size and might of the Adidas soccer ball international marketing machine in recent years, the Puma Company makes top-quality soccer balls and soccer shoes in particular, that are equal to the best available in the world. Puma soccer balls and shoes received a best marketing moment in 1970 when the famous Brazilian soccer star Pele stopped live televised action of a World Cup match to bend down and tie his Puma soccer ball shoelaces. This was long before “wardrobe failures” were common and the resulting TV close-ups of Pele’s Puma soccer ball shoes were a huge advertising success for Puma at the time. And just like Pele’s shoes, Puma match soccer balls are among the best available in the world right now.

The Puma Italia v1.08 is a 24-panel polyurethane soccer ball featuring a Puma proprietary foam layer between the outer covering and inner six-wing latex air bladder. The Italia is one of the best professional match soccer balls on the market today and Puma says it is rounder, more aerodynamic and more accurate than any other soccer ball.