It has been named Al Rihla an Arabic term meaning "the journey".

Adidas, manufacturer of the ball, insists it has been inspired by the culture, architecture, iconic boats and flag of Qatar

The ball is said to travel faster in flight than any other ball in the tournament's history.

"This is a stunning, sustainable and high-quality official match ball from Adidas that will be enjoyed by stars performing at the top of their game on the world’s biggest stage in Qatar, as well as grassroots players everywhere," FIFA marketing director Jean-François Pathy claimed.

"Al Rihla's worldwide journey will represent the incredible reach of the FIFA World Cup and give fans a unique opportunity to engage with the event as excitement builds ahead of the big kickoff."

The ball has been designed using intense laboratory testing and wind tunnels, boasting new panel shapes and surface textures.

It features "CRT-core" technology, described as the "heart of the ball" and said to provide "speed, accuracy and precision". 

This also offers "maximal shape and air retention".

It is covered with a polyurethane textured skin with a new 20-piece panel.

"The game is getting faster and, as it speeds up, accuracy and flight stability become critically important," Adidas designer Franziska Löffelmann said. 

"The new design allows the ball to maintain a significantly higher speed as it journeys through the air. 

"The ball was designed with sustainability as a priority."

Al Rihla is the first FIFA World Cup ball to be made exclusively with water-based inks and glues as part of the drive towards sustainability.

Former Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas ,Brazilian star Kaká, Saudi women's player Farah Jefry and United Arab Emirates women's skipper Nouf Al Anzi will be among the first to put the new ball to the test.

They will be joined by promising female footballers from Qatar, the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt and next-generation players from Doha’s Aspire Academy for a promotional event.

The introduction of Al Rihla will mark the 14th consecutive tournament that the ball has been produced by Adidas.

Previously the ball was chosen by FIFA representatives from a selection which bore no markings.

For the 1966 World Cup final an orange ball manufactured by Slazenger was chosen.

This was famously collected as a souvenir at the end of the match by West Germany’s Helmut Haller who had scored the first goal of the final but was presented to Geoff Hurst, scorer of the only hat-trick in a final, many years later.

The black and white panelled Adidas ball, given the name "Telstar", was first widely seen at the 1970 World Cup in Mexico.

For the 1978 World Cup in Argentina, the new "Tango" began a trend for altering the design and decoration of the ball at each subsequent tournament.

In 2010, the "Jabulani" produced for the tournament in South Africa, attracted criticism for its unpredictable movement through the air.