The Uefa Europa League has ceased to be regarded as the ‘B’ competition of the ‘old continent’, and on the contrary, it is gaining more strength due to the quality of footballers competing in it, and the increasing number of traditional teams participating in the tournament.
For this reason, Uefa’s intention is to continue giving visibility to the tournament, and to achieve this, it has used various strategies, even moving away from what concerns broadcasting rights and prizes. The ball of the competition is key.
With the aim of making the Europa League ball more universal and even more accessible for its buyers, it has formed a partnership with Kipsta – a Decathlon line specialized in football – for the design and production of the ball.
Kipsta partners with UEFA and becomes its official ball supplier for matches in the Uefa Europa League and the Uefa Conference League. This collaboration will commence with the 2024-2025 season and will extend until the end of the 2026-2027 season.
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Meeting the more technical standards required to play football at the highest level and awarded the FIFA professional quality seal, the Kipsta ball has been chosen for the dominance of control it provides the player, its high accuracy in trajectory, as well as its excellent grip; making it easier to use the ball in all weather conditions.
Additionally, the thermobonding technology used in its design guarantees greater durability of the ball, ensuring its superior quality from the beginning to the end of the match.
How much does the Decathlon Europa League ball cost?
The Uefa Europa League ball is sold in all physical Decathlon stores as well as on the website, and it costs $574,000. Additionally, the brand offers a mini ball – size 1 – that is priced at $66,000.
Fabien Brosse, Global Chief Sports and Products Officer at Decathlon, says: “Decathlon is thrilled to embark on this wonderful partnership with Uefa as the official supplier of the Uefa Europa League and Uefa Conference League balls. The selection of our ball supports and confirms our ongoing efforts to produce quality and high-tech products, designed to be used at the highest sporting levels.”
While many people have never played with a professional ball, Kipsta and Uefa have joined forces to change that dynamic. By partnering, they are demonstrating that a ball at an accessible price can be of high quality and meet the highest professional standards.
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Kipsta has achieved this level of quality through a fruitful collaboration with multiple players from different levels, resulting in the most tested ball in the world. Prototype tests have also been conducted with more than 10 professional football teams in France.
However, the quality of the sphere does not compromise its accessibility, following Kipsta’s business model: to reach more footballers around the world with excellent, sustainable products that meet professional standards and are accessible to all.