adidas Football has revealed the Official Match Ball for the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia. The Telstar 18 will be used by the world’s best players as they seek to claim the biggest prize in football next summer. The new Telstar 18 is a reimagining of the first adidas FIFA World Cup match ball, the Telstar, which was used at the 1970 tournament in Mexico. The name of the original came from its position as the ‘star of television’. The first ball to be decorated with black panels, the pattern was designed to stand out on black and white televisions, and changed football design forever.