The 2026 World Cup is poised to be the biggest yet, with even more nations taking place in an expanded format, while being hosted by three of them at once.

Canada, Mexico, and the United States of America will play host to 48 nations, all of which will be hoping to win the grand prize at the end of it.

As with every World Cup, there are iconic traditions in place that will represent the tournament. The World Cup logo is front and centre, along with the mascots that will often tie into the national pride of whichever nation will host it, as well as the respective World Cup kits.

Then there’s the ball, where the magic happens. Each World Cup ball has a different design, feel, and story to tell, which can seal its place in the memory of those who watch on.

Here’s a look at everything you need to know about “Trionda“, the 2026 World Cup ball.

What does ‘Trionda’ stand for?

The Trionda ball for the 2026 World Cup pays homage to all of the host nations, Canada, Mexico, and the United States of America.

The “Tri” stands for three, and “Onda” means waves in Spanish, hinting at all three waves in the design of the ball, with three different colours representing each nation.

Adidas Trionda Design and Colourway Explained

Adidas

Trionda’s design shows off all three host nations in different ways, using both colours and patterns on the ball itself to represent each host in a clear way.

The red part of the ball represents Canada, with the country’s famous maple leaf dotted within each of the red waves to clearly show their part in hosting the tournament.

The green is used to show off Mexico, hinting at the unmistakable green home kit that the national team wears, along with an eagle pattern that is seen in the country’s coat of arms.

Then there’s the blue, which represents the United States of America, and includes the stars that show off each of the states included in the famous American flag.

Every World Cup Ball In History

What is the ‘Smart Technology’ and Does The Ball Need to be Charged?

Adidas

The Trionda World Cup ball for 2026 will need to be charged before every use, due to the “smart technology” inside that will help assist the officials during the game.

There is an in-built motion sensor that can track the ball’s rotation, position on the pitch, and every single touch along the way, sending that data back to the Video Assistant Referee.

That information should help the VAR make quicker decisions, particularly when it comes to an offside call, as they will be able to tell the exact moment the ball was struck, and can then begin to work out the offside line with a 3D model of the game picked up by cameras around the stadium.

It will also be useful for tracking data used by national teams, with even more data allowing them to look underneath the hood of football into some of the things that make teams tick.

The ball has a battery life of roughly six hours, meaning it should comfortably last a full game, barring any technological issues that could occur.

Where to Buy the World Cup 2026 Ball

The official World Cup 2026 ball, the Trionda, is available to buy in several different sizes and with some different impact to each one that is available.

Adidas are retailing six variations of the Trionda, from the Pro version at £130, to the Mini version at £13. There is the competition version for £50, the League version for £35, the Training version for £25, and the Club version for £23.

The Trionda is also available to buy from high street stores such as Sports Direct, which is running an offer on the League version of the ball, as well as JD Sports.

Online retailers such as Amazon and Kitbag are also selling the ball, along with a host of other online stores.

Former WWE Superstar Curtis Axel, real name Joseph Hennig, was arrested in Minnesota earlier this month, according to reports.

The son of WWE icon Mr Perfect, Curt Hennig, was reportedly arrested in Anoka County, Minnesota, on May 17, 2026. That’s according to PWInsider’s Mike Johnson. The 46-year-old was later charged with DUI.

Curtis Axel’s Charges After Arrest

Per the report, Axel was released from prison two days after his arrest and his charges include third-degree driving while impaired, refusing to give a chemical test, obstructing the lawful execution of a legal process, possessing an open bottle of alcohol in the car, and failing to stop after an accident to property that did not involve any injuries.

According to Cultaholic Wrestling, police were called to a McDonald’s in St. Francis at around 9pm following a report of a vehicle reversing into another in the drive-thru, causing damage. Axel was found driving around the car park, and police noticed the smell of alcohol when speaking to him.

“I don’t give a sh**” and “f*** you, you f*****,” were what the wrestler reportedly shouted at officers while refusing to do chemical testing after having to be physically removed from his car.

An employee at the McDonald’s told police that Axel had sworn at staff before reversing into another vehicle. He then got out of his car and yelled at the female whose car he’d just backed into, calling her a ‘b****” and a ‘p****’.

Axel’s Previous Legal Challenges

This isn’t the first time Joseph Hennig has had a brush with the law. American Express received a judgment of $21,357.94 they were owed by Henning for a credit card in 2024. He has since paid $5,936.79, but the remaining $16,774.26 payment is still outstanding.

A further judgment from a housing estate, Estates of Silver Oaks Association, was granted against him and his partner, Brooke Hennig, in 2025 for $4,989.40. That case was reported as closed in early 2026.

More to follow.

The 2026 World Cup is set to be the biggest tournament yet, with an expansion of nations competing in the grandest stage of them all this summer.

There will be the first-ever 48-team contest, along with a new round of 32 stage, which means more games, and naturally more money flowing in.

Domestic football clubs can expect to enjoy some of the riches on offer from FIFA once the World Cup has ended, with a programme setup for those who release their players to compete over the summer months.

So, here’s everything you need to know about how much money FIFA will pay clubs for players featuring at the 2026 World Cup.

How Does The FIFA Programme Work?

The payments from FIFA to the clubs for the release of players for the competition come under the “Club Benefits Programme“, with the breakdown of the payment shown after the end of the World Cup cycle.

This agreement was signed between FIFA and the European Club Association (ECA), with a renewed understanding in 2023 updating the amount of money available for the 2023-2026 cycle.

Compensation available to clubs doesn’t just come from those who represented teams in the World Cup year, but to any club that player represented in the two prior years.

For instance, Marc Guehi‘s appearances for England would benefit both Manchester City and Crystal Palace with compensation, as he has represented both since 2023.

FIFA World Cup Money Rule Change

For the 2026 World Cup cycle, there has been a rule change that will result in clubs being compensated for players featuring in qualification games, as well as the tournament itself.

That means more money will be shared around, which is good news for the teams who release players featuring for nations who didn’t make it to the finals in North America.

How Much FIFA Is Offering Clubs

FIFA has announced that $355 million (£265 million) will be available as part of the Club Benefit Programme, which will cover both the World Cup and the qualifiers.

While the rate of pay for the World Cup itself is yet to be announced, the payment structure is set to include 10 days before the opening match up until their final match of the tournament.

Reports have suggested that the payment fee could be in the range of $11,000 (£8,210) per day, though it remains to be seen whether that will be the case.

That could see clubs earn upwards of $250,000 (£186,600) for one player simply getting knocked out in the group stages with their respective nation.

World Cup 2022 Money Comparison

The World Cup in Qatar 2022 had $209 million (£160.9 million) distributed across clubs, with 440 clubs receiving compensation for the release of players.

While the figure is $146 million lower than that of the 2026 tournament, the reported distribution per day was similar, coming in at $10,950 (£8,173).

There were fewer clubs to distribute to, due to a smaller tournament and no need to give out money for the qualification rounds either, explaining why the figure is similar.

Manchester City topped the table for most money earned from the World Cup in 2022, sending 16 players to Qatar, earning a hefty $4.6million (£3.54million) sum for their troubles.

Manchester United ($3.33 million/£2.51 million) and Chelsea ($3.25 million/£2.51 million) were just behind in the rankings for second and third in the Premier League.

Which Club Could Earn The Most?

In the Premier League, there will be plenty of representation at the World Cup, though the final amount paid out to those clubs will depend on how deep into the tournament their star players will go.

As of writing, here are the top-five best represented Premier League clubs from the squads that have been announced so far:

All of those clubs have a good chance of being the highest-paid from the compensation laid out by FIFA, having a strong core of players featuring for nations that are expected to make deep runs in the tournament.

It remains to be seen whether that will be the case or not, by the time the football is played on the pitch.