Unveiled last week in Brazil, the new World Cup ball continues the tradition of Adidas providing the cup ball since 1970. Brazuca, meaning inherently Brazilian, features six propeller-shaped symmetrically interlocking panels. Adidas engineers say the six-panel design improves aerodynamic continuity and flight speed. The ball was secretly tested in the U-20 World Cup.

While a World Cup ball once offered as many as 32 panels, that number has diminished over the years. By the 2006 German World Cup, the balls were down to 14 panels; 2010 in South Africa saw eight. Antonio Zea, Adidas's director of soccer, says reducing panels to six for 2014 is "all about seam geometry and how we create seams."