It is the ninth consecutive major tournament ball that has benefited from research or testing at Loughborough University as prototype balls are routinely assessed in STI’s wind tunnel using methods developed through collaborative research projects.

Uniforia's design encompasses the notion of crossing bridges, the blurring of boundaries, and the diversity that will accompany the tournament, through a unique mixture of art and football. These elements were the starting point for the design process, which began in 2018.

Named after both the unity and the euphoria that top-level national-team competition can bring, the Uniforia ball is designed to celebrate the inclusiveness that next year's tournament will inspire throughout the continent.

“It’s great to see the Euro 2020 tournament finally taking place and it has been great to continue our research partnership with adidas over such a long period of time,” commented Professor Andy Harland, Professor of Sports Technology.

“The opportunities this has brought to staff, PhD students and undergraduates to investigate and learn from real-world products used in such high-profile tournaments have been excellent and we look forward to continuing this in future.”

The project also involved Dr Matt Ward, Research Associate in Football Product Development, Professor Adrian Spencer and Professor Martin Passmore (both AACME).

UEFA EURO 2020 began in Rome on 12 June and will come to its conclusion a month later with the final at Wembley Stadium in London.

Matches will take place in 12 host cities around Europe: Amsterdam, Baku, Bilbao, Bucharest, Budapest, Copenhagen, Dublin, Glasgow, London, Munich, Rome and Saint Petersburg.