FIFA Quality Concept

for Footballs

FIFA Quality Concept for Footballs

FIFA SHOOTS FOR FOOTBALL CONSISTENCY
As the games world-wide governing body, we have a responsibility to support any move to
improve football equipment, says Joseph S. Blatter, President of FIFA. In raising the actual
standard of footballs, the FIFA Quality Concept will also help improve the level of the game.
As a result of FIFAs initiative to ensure global consistency in top match footballs, FIFA has
developed and implemented a quality certification programme.
Since January 1, 1996, only those outdoor footballs which have been tested and meet the
demanding quality criteria and bearing either of the official markings are allowed to be used
in FIFA competition matches and competition matches under the auspices of the six
continental Confederations. As of January 1, 2000, the quality testing and certification has
also become compulsory for Futsal balls (indoor footballs) being used in international
matchplay under the auspices of FIFA or the Confederations.

As part of FIFAs effort to promote and develop football in all its forms throughout the world,
the first ever FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup took place in May 2005. As a consequence the
FIFA Quality Concept of Footballs has also implemented a testing procedure for Beach Soccer
balls which has been introduced in May 2006. Therefore the quality testing and certification is
also compulsory for Beach soccer footballs being used in international match play under the
auspices of FIFA or the Confederations.
The FIFA Quality Concept is a test programme for outdoor and indoor footballs.
Manufacturers have the possibility to enter into a licence agreement for the use of the
prestigious FIFA hallmarks on footballs which have passed the rigorous testing procedure.
Licensees enjoy extensive trademark protection of the FIFA quality marks and benefit from
comprehensive marketing services.
FIFAs commitment to social responsibility is also evidenced in its Quality Concept. Licensees
are requested by contract to ensure that no child labour is used in any stage of the
manufacturing process, and that the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at
Work is respected. Furthermore, they have to pledge their support of initiatives to end child
labour in the football industry.
The profits generated by the licensing fees from balls bearing the FIFA quality marks are
passed on to a number of social development programmes that have children and youth as
beneficiaries.
As part of its extensive Corporate Social Responsibility strategy, FIFA supports, through the
Football for Hope movement, more than 70 social development programmes in over 50
countries, which are using football as a tool in the areas of health promotion, peacebuilding,
childrens rights & education, anti-discrimination & social integration, and the environment.
This brochure outlines the key elements of the FIFA Quality Concept and the scope of the
Licensing Programme.

FIFA Quality Concept for Futsal

Futsal fever is currently encapsulating most of the globe but it owes a great deal of its success
and all of its appeal to the streets and playgrounds of South America, where the game was
first conceived. The sport began to spread from the South American continent and with its
growing popularity came the need for a governing body and a World Championship.
Keen to emphasise the South American roots of a sport that the likes of Pel, Zico, Roberto
Carlos, Ronaldo and Ronaldinho all grew up playing, Futsal was the name chosen by FIFA for
the only version of 5-a-side football that it supports when it took over as the governing body
of the sport in 1989. After the first FIFA Futsal World Cup that took place in the Netherlands
in the same year, Futsal began to increase in stature as more and more associations began to
adopt the sport, keen to take advantage of its benefits in developing players for the bigger
game.
Individual close ball skills are developed through an increased number of touches during the
game, whilst players are nearly always placed in reduced-space situations and are constantly
forced to make decisions demanding speed of thought and quick reflexes.
The end-to-end, non-stop, goalmouth action has proven a hit with the fans as the number of
professional leagues in the world grows every year. Russia, Portugal, Italy, Brazil and
Argentina all have professional leagues along with Spain, the current world champions,
whose league regularly attracts over thirty thousand spectators a week to its games.
Futsal is also set to explode onto the football scene in Asia with Iran already boasting a
professional league and countries such as Japan, Malaysia and Thailand all keen to follow.
Chinese Taipei hosted the fifth FIFA World Cup in December 2004, which saw almost 90
associations take part in the qualifying stages.
To date, the FIFA Futsal World Cup has been held six times, making two stops in Europe
(Netherlands 1989 & Spain 1996), two in Asia (Hong Kong 1992 & Chinese Taipei 2004), one
in Central America (Guatemala 2000) and one in South America (Brazil 2008).
While under FIFAs control, new rules have been introduced, aimed at improving the technical
aspects of the game for players and spectators alike. As part of FIFAs efforts to promote and
develop football and its equipment throughout the world, Futsal balls were integrated into
the FIFA Quality Concept in 2001 in order to ensure highest quality and consistency
worldwide. Only balls that pass the Futsal specific and stringent laboratory tests qualify for the
FIFA INSPECTED or the higher FIFA APPROVED quality mark. Players, coaches and tournament
organisers alike can be assured of having a top-quality football by looking for the FIFA marks.

FIFA Quality Concept for Beach Soccer

Over the past decade, beach soccer has journeyed from the beaches of Brazil to the hearts of
millions of fans all over the globe. The participation of internationally renowned players such
as flamboyant Frenchman Eric Cantona, legendary Spanish strikers Michel and Julio Salinas
and Brazilian samba stars such as Romario, Junior and Zico has helped to take television
coverage to large audiences in over 170 countries worldwide, making beach soccer one of
the fastest growing professional sports in the world and converting it into a major showcase
for international commercial opportunity.
Today, beach soccer is part of the FIFA family. In May, 2005 the first FIFA Beach Soccer World
Cup took place on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro. In an exceptional atmosphere
created by 8,000 fans stirred to fever pitch by every move, the first FIFA Beach Soccer World
Cup offered a magnificent spectacle and a fantastic opportunity for fans to watch the best
teams and top stars of the sport.
Beach soccer is an immensely attractive and exciting variation of association football. Since
being introduced just over a decade ago, the sport has grown steadily in terms of popularity
and sophistication, remarked FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter. It is therefore absolutely
logical for FIFA, the governing body of football, to extend its reach into beach soccer and we
look forward to bringing all of the knowledge and expertise that FIFA has to improving beach
soccer, whilst being careful to preserve the sense of spontaneity and fun that are essential to
the sport.
The FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup will be held annually and developed on a worldwide level.
FIFA will ensure that the sport is pushed to the next level in terms of quality, recognition and
prominence.
As part of its efforts to promote and develop football and its equipment throughout the
world, FIFA introduced the FIFA Quality Concept for Beach Soccer balls in May 2006. In order
to ensure that footballs for beach soccer are of consistent and highest quality throughout the
world, only balls that pass stringent laboratory tests qualify for the FIFA INSPECTED or the
higher FIFA APPROVED quality mark. Given the specific characteristics of the game of beach
soccer, the quality criteria have been adapted accordingly.
FIFA is convinced that beach soccer is and will increasingly become an important and
attractive part of the sport of football. With the extension of the FIFA Quality Concept, FIFA is
responding to the growing demand for beach soccer and everyone can be assured of having
a top-quality football by looking for the FIFA marks.

Global Concept
1. The Licensing Programme
The programme is based upon the classification of Outdoor, Futsal and Beach Soccer
footballs into two categories:

FIFA APPROVED
top quality footballs meeting
FIFAs highest demands

FIFA INSPECTED
footballs for matches/ trainings
at all competitive levels

2. Law II - Decision 1 (Laws of the Game)

FIFA APPROVED and FIFA INSPECTED test criteria match or exceed the international
matchball standards as outlined in the Laws of the Game and indicate that such footballs
are of the required quality for match play, balls to be used in FIFA competition matches*
and competition matches* under the auspices of the Confederations. Member association
competitions may require the use of balls bearing any one of the official designations.
In all other matches, the ball used must satisfy the requirements of Law II.
* see pages 16-17 for definition and listing of FIFA Matches and Confederation Matches

Global Concept
3. The Testing
To obtain a FIFA Quality Concept license, the balls are to be tested according to specific
criteria per category, as set forth by FIFA

OUTDOOR FOOTBALLS / BEACH SOCCER BALLS

FIFA APPROVED

FIFA INSPECTED

weight

weight

circumference

circumference

sphericity

sphericity

loss of pressure

loss of pressure

water absorption

water absorption

rebound

rebound

shape and size retention

FUTSAL BALLS
FIFA APPROVED

FIFA INSPECTED

weight

weight

circumference

circumference

sphericity

sphericity

loss of pressure

loss of pressure

water absorption

water absorption

rebound

balance

shape and size retention

balance
A comprehensive information document outlining the test methods and equipment used for
testing of the specific criteria can be provided to licensees upon request.

Global Concept
4. Worldwide Protection
The logos used for the FIFA Quality Concept are protected through extensive trademark
and copyright registrations worldwide.

5. Licensing Rights
The Licence Agreement between the manufacturer and FIFA includes the following
features, among others, four years validity as well as the right to use the FIFA Quality
Marks on and in relation to licensed products. Furthermore Licensees are given access to a
full marketing service package (see #6 below). In compensation for the licensing rights
granted by FIFA a royalty fee per licensed ball sold is required.

6. Marketing Services
The FIFA Quality Concept licensing agreement is enhanced by a comprehensive and
targeted marketing service provided free of cost by FIFA including:

well focused advertising and PR campaigns on behalf of FIFA, aimed at trade,

consumers and media as well as the football world in general to inform about the
unique licensing programme, to promote and consolidate the FIFA Quality Marks and
to prevent infringements of the FIFA Marks
a framed FIFA certificate for each of the tested categories
a refund of the testing costs by FIFA of all successful tested products
access to the FIFA Digital Archive in order to download the Graphic Guidelines as well
as various artmarks for use on footballs and for use on print material
a designated authorization number to identify the official licence and safeguard it
from infringement
legal advice and supervision by FIFAs international network to enforce and protect the
licensee's rights and to prevent infringements
random testing of sample products on the market to maintain quality and image, and
to eliminate inferior products

Global Concept
7. Test Fee and Procedures
Outdoor and indoor footballs applying for a FIFA licence have to go through a series of
rigorous testing in order to qualify for the FIFA INSPECTED category or the higher grade
FIFA APPROVED level. These tests are exclusively performed at EMPA, the selected test
institute for the FIFA licensing programme.
For each outdoor or indoor ball model to be tested manufacturer must submit to FIFA 7
samples for category FIFA INSPECTED and 10 samples for category FIFA APPROVED. A
special Test Form was created to facilitate the testing administration (see page 15 in this
document). The full amount of the testing and handling fees must be paid prior to testing.
The test and handling fees per ball model and per category are:
Test Fees
FIFA APPROVED category

CHF 4,400

FIFA INSPECTED category

CHF 3,300

For football models which have been successfully tested and are licensed under a licence
agreement, the standard test fee respective to the licensed category is credited against
royalty payments. For the avoidance of doubt, any test fees paid for footballs which have
failed to meet the relevant test criteria are not credited against royalties payable or are
otherwise refundable.

8. Royalty Fee Structure

Licensees are required to submit royalty statements on a quarterly basis with subsequent
payment of the royalties due. The royalty fee per category and per licensed ball sold is:
Royalty Fees
FIFA APPROVED category

CHF 1.50

FIFA INSPECTED category

CHF 0.75

Global Concept
9. Minimum Guarantee
Due to the fact that all licensees are benefiting from comprehensive marketing services
regardless of the sales of licensed products and to cover for the basic administration costs,
a standard minimum guarantee of Swiss Francs 5,000 for the four years contract period
has to be paid upon signature of a licensing agreement.
The minimum guarantee will be set off against future royalty payments and/or test fee
credit resulting from the successful testing of licensed products prior to the execution of
the licence agreement.

10. Worldwide Labour Standards

It is a contractual requirement that all licensees under the FIFA Quality Concept as well as
their supplier(s) must comply with the highest standards of business ethics prevailing in the
industry. Therefore all licensees have to comply with the code of conduct of the World
Federation of Sporting Goods Industry (WFSGI). Rather than focusing purely on the issue
of child labour, this code also lays down internationally recognised guidelines for hours of
work, health and safety, forced labour environmental protection.

11. Product Liability Insurance

In order to conclude a Licence Agreement it is mandatory for future Licensees to conclude
a product liability insurance vis--vis the Licensed Products. This Insurance policy must
cover the amount of CHF 3000000.00, including worldwide territory and shall ensure
that FIFA is nominated as additional insurant. Such insurance will cover, among other
things, the use of, and alleged defects in, the Licensed Products.

Test Criteria Outdoor Footballs

Property

Ball Size 5

Ball Size 4

Specifications

Approved

Inspected

Inspected

420 - 445 grams

410 - 450 grams

350 - 390 grams

ball pressure : 0.8 bar

68.5 - 69.5 cm

68.0 - 70.0 cm

63.5 - 66.0 cm

ball pressure : 0.8 bar

Sphericity

max. 1.5 %

max. 1.8 %

max. 1.8 %

ball pressure: 0.8 bar

(deviation of the
measured
mean value)

Loss of Pressure

max. 20 %

max. 25 %

max. 25 %

ball pressure: 1.0 bar at

the start of the test
max. loss of air after
3 days (72h)

Water Absorption

Average water
uptake of the initial
weight of the tested
balls:
10%
max. water uptake
per ball not to
exceed 15%

average water
uptake of the initial
weight of the
tested balls:
15%
max. water uptake
per ball not to
exceed 20%

average water
uptake of the initial
weight of the
tested balls:
15%
max. water uptake
per ball not to
exceed 20%

ball pressure: 0.8 bar

tank filled with water
2 cm height
250 compressing downs
with constant ball
rotation, ball
deformation max. 25%

Rebound at 20C
at 5C

135 - 155 cm
min. 125 cm
max. difference
between lowest and
highest rebound per
ball tested: 10cm

125 - 155 cm
min. 115 cm
max. difference
between lowest
and highest
rebound per ball
tested: 10cm

115 - 155 cm
min. 115 cm
max. difference
between lowest
and highest
rebound per ball
tested: 10cm

ball pressure: 0.8 bar

each ball being dropped
10 times (on to different
panels) from a height of
2 meters onto a steel
plate

Shape and Size

Retention Test
including change
of pressure
increase in
circumference
deviation on
sphericity:
change of
pressure:

Measured after
2000 kicks
seams and air-valve
undamaged
max. 1.5 cm

Weight
Circumference

ball pressure: 0.8 bar

shooting onto a steel
panel
with approx. 50 km/h
shooting length: 2.50 m

max. 1.5%
max. 0.1 bar

Tests will be conducted at room temperature (approx. 20C) and 65% humidity.
Exception: Rebound measured at 20C and at 5C.

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Test Criteria Futsal Balls

No Feltballs are being permitted for international matches
Property

Approved

Inspected

Specifications

410 - 430 grams

400 - 440 grams

ball pressure: 0.6 bar

62.5 - 63.5 cm

62.0 - 64.0 cm

ball pressure: 0.6 bar

Sphericity

max. 1.5 %

max. 1.8 %

ball pressure: 0.6 bar

Loss of Pressure

max. 20 %

max. 25 %

ball pressure: 0.6 bar

at the start of the test
max. loss of air after
3 days (72h)

Rebound

55 - 65 cm

50 - 65 cm

ball pressure: 0.6 bar

each ball being dropped from a
height of 2 meters onto
a wooden floor

Balance

max. 5

max. 7.5

ball pressure: 0.6 bar

ball being rolled down an inclined
slope onto a table with
predetermined rolling direction /
angle deviation of rolling direction
is measured.

Weight
Circumference

Shape and Size

Retention Test
including change
of pressure
increase in
circumference
deviation on
sphericity:
change of
pressure:

Measured after
2000 kicks
seams and air-valve
undamaged
max. 1.0 cm

ball pressure: 0.6 bar

shooting onto a steel panel
at approx. 50 km/h
shooting length: 2.50 m

max. 1.5%

max. 0.1 bar

Tests will be conducted at room temperature (approx. 20C) and 65% humidity.

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Test Criteria Beach Soccer Balls

(Ball pressure : mean value of indicated pressure range between 0.375 0.8 bar)
Property

Approved

Inspected

Specifications

420 - 440 grams

400 - 440 grams

ball pressure: mean value

Circumference

68 - 70 cm

68 - 70 cm

ball pressure: mean value

Sphericity

max. 1.8 %

max. 1.8 %

ball pressure: mean value

(deviation of the measured mean
value)

Loss of Pressure

max. 20 %

max. 25 %

ball pressure: mean value

at the start of the test
max. loss of air after
3 days (72h)

100 - 150 cm

100 - 150 cm

ball pressure: mean value

each ball being dropped 10 times from
a height of 2 meters onto
a steel plate

Water Absorption

max. 10 %

max. 15 %

ball pressure: mean value

2cm
water depth, 250 compressions with
constant ball rotation, ball
deformation maximum 10%

Shape and Size

Retention Test
including change
of pressure
increase in
circumference
deviation on
sphericity:
change of
pressure:

Measured after
1000 kicks
seams and air-valve
undamaged
max. 1.5 cm

Weight

Rebound

ball pressure: mean value

shooting onto a steel panel
at approx. 50 km/h
shooting length: 2.50 m

max. 1.8 %
max. 0.1 bar

Tests will be conducted at room temperature (approx. 20C) and 65% humidity.

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Test Form

Please request copies of the above form from FIFA Marketing & TV.

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Certificate FIFA APPROVED

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Certificate FIFA APPROVED

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FIFA Matches
FIFA competition matches are defined as all qualification and final round matches of the

FIFA World CupTM

FIFA Women's World Cup
FIFA Club World Cup
FIFA Confederations Cup
FIFA U-20 World Cup
FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup
FIFA U-17 World Cup
FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup
FIFA Futsal World Cup
FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup
Men's Olympic Football Tournament
Women's Olympic Football Tournament
Youth Olympic Football Tournament
Blue Stars /FIFA Youth Cup

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Confederation Matches
Competition matches under the auspices of the confederations are defined as all matches
played in the context of continental competitions
AFC (Asian Football Confederation)
www.the-afc.com

CAF (Confdration Africaine de Football)

www.cafonline.com

CONCACAF (Confederatin Norte-/Centroamericana y del Caribe de Ftbol)

www.concacaf.com

CONMEBOL (Confederacin Sudamericana de Ftbol)

www.conmebol.com

UEFA (Union of European Football Association)

www.uefa.com

OFC (Oceania Football Confederation)

www.oceaniafootball.com

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FIFA Law II The Ball (summary)

For more information related to the FIFA Quality Concept for Footballs
please do not hesitate to contact:
Fdration Internationale de Football Association (FIFA )
FIFA Quality Concept for Footballs
FIFA-Strasse 20
P.O. Box 774
CH-8044 Zurich / Switzerland
Telephone +41 (0) 43 222 7777 / Telefax +41 (0) 43 222 7878
[email protected], www.FIFA.com

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