FIFA makes change to World Cup ball for semi-final and final
The World Cup ball has been changed for the semi-finals, the final and that third place playoff nobody is massively interested in, with the players kicking around a new design.
Each World Cup has its own brand of ball that is used for all of the games, and some have a notorious reputation for being disliked by those who make a living kicking it around.
The ball for the 2010 South African World Cup was particularly controversial, as the 'Jabulabi' was designed in a way that made it unpredictable and unpopular.
This year's World Cup ball is the 'Trionda', which is typically decked out in the colours you'll find on the flags of the three host nations Mexico, Canada and the US, so that's red, white, blue and green.
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However, for the final four games of the World Cup it's been subbed out for the 'Trionda Final', which switches the colour scheme to black, white and gold and bears the names of the cities that will host those games, Dallas, Atlanta, Miami and New York New Jersey.
For those fearing the Mexicans and Canadians have been pushed to the periphery and trumped by the Americans with this new World Cup ball, the other cities that have hosted World Cup football still get mentioned on the kickable sphere, albeit in much smaller writing.
While the ball's design is different, the actual structure of it remains the same so it'll perform the same as the balls in the other games.
This is not a time to be throwing a new element into the competition's mix, the players don't need to be figuring out the physics of a new ball for the last couple of games they've got to play.
It's already seen action in one World Cup semi-final, where Spain defeated France 2-0 to book their place in the final, and it'll be booted around between England and Argentina tonight (15 July) to determine who their opponents will be.
Like other models of the World Cup's 'Trionda' ball, this one comes with a sensor to detect when someone has kicked it, when it lightly brushes the barnet of a Croatian gentleman and when it crucially doesn't strike an overhead cable despite some people's insistence it had.
Certain decisions from FIFA have been poorly received by the fans, who are on the lookout for any sign of wrongdoing or possible interference from the competition's controversial governing body.
However, since the ball is functionally the same as the one that's been used throughout the World Cup just with a new colour scheme anyone with a bone to pick once the final whistle has blown will need to look elsewhere to grind their axe.
For now the next time we'll see the ball in action is when England and Argentina play in Atlanta tonight, a game that's expected to be a feisty affair.
That's putting it mildly, considering the rivalry that's developed between the two countries, though one hopes that off-pitch matters stay out of the stadium and it all adds up to an enviable spectacle for those watching.
Soon we'll see which team comes away thinking they've kicked some balls well, and which one feels like they've been kicked in the balls.
If England win the World Cup, do we get a bank holiday?
Now that the Three Lions have made it to the semi-finals of the World Cup, thoughts have turned to the possibility that football really could be coming home - and what better way to celebrate England’s success than a day off work?
Outgoing Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer previously hinted at the prospect of a bank holiday if Thomas Tuchel’s side win the tournament.
“On the question of a bank holiday, I think I don't want to jinx it, but ask me again if we get to the final,” he told reporters at a Nato conference on 8 July.
With the final taking place on Sunday (19 July), it’s believed that the celebratory bank holiday would likely fall on the following Friday (24 July).
Only time will tell!
Joe Harker