‘Football’ is the name given to various balls used in several different sports but the one looked at here is the one used to play soccer. In the past items such as a pig’s bladder were used as balls but technology has eliminated the need for that and a modern football is made by engineers to very exact specifications.

In football the official ball used is spherical in shape. It is made of leather or some other suitable material such as polyurethane and has 32 stitched leather panels that create a ball’s exterior. The ball is usually 27-28 inches in circumference and weighs about 14-16 ounces when it is dry. This is the ball used in football championship games and it is used by players over 12 years old.

Official balls are a size 5 however, smaller sizes exist and are used in children’s games or just as a toy. Size 1 balls are mini balls that are used for promotional purposes. They are 17 inches in circumference or less and they are normally made of synthetic material.

A size 2 ball is sometimes used for promotional reasons as well, or for training sessions. It is usually made of synthetic material, plastic or PVC and is no bigger than 22 inches. It is used in games for children under 4 years of age and for improving a person’s ball handling skills.

The size 3 ball is used in games between children under 8 years old and is about 24 inches in circumference. It also is made of synthetic materials or PVC and is the official ball used in handball games.

Size 4 balls are used in games between children 8-12 years old. They are about 26 inches in circumference and are usually made of leather or some similar material. The size 4 ball is the official ball used for playing futsal which is a variation of soccer played on a smaller playing surface indoors.

Older footballs had 18 oblong, non-waterproof leather panels on the surface of the balls, similar to the design seen on volleyballs. The panels were laced together to allow easy access to the pig bladder inside if necessary. Footballs are still made with this design but are not as common and are not used in official games.

Balls such as the one used in gaelic football also has 14 panels and a ball made by Mitre had 26 panels. In the 2006 FIFA world cup an Adidas ball was used which was a machine-pressed, thermally bonded ball but this was the first of its kind in an official tournament.

There are also balls intended for indoor football which are made of just one or two pieces of plastic. Often designs are printed on these balls to make them look like official stitched leather balls.

The oldest football known was discovered in the Stirling Castle and dated back to 1540. Tt was made of leather – either a deer or pig’s bladder and was about 15 cm in circumference