Source: Adidas
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Claim: A Facebook page, MLS Sport, posted a viral video of how the 2026 FIFA World Cup Ball was produced.
Verdict: False! The video is an AI-generated footage containing glitches in AI features. DUBAWA’s forensic search also showed that it was originally shared on a TikTok platform that shares AI-generated content.
Full Text
When the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicked off across the United States, Mexico, and Canada, fans were introduced not only to exciting football but also to a new star on the pitch: the Adidas Trionda, the official match ball.
Blending cutting-edge AI tracking technology with a radical structural design, the ball is making major waves on the pitch.
The name, Trionda, translates from Spanish as “Three Waves,” celebrating the historic three-nation partnership hosting this edition of the tournament.
Visually, the ball has a vibrant red, green, and blue colour scheme, capturing the national identities of the three host nations. When viewed closely, the graphics seamlessly weave in iconic national symbols.
However, a Facebook page, MLS Sport (archived here), shared a viral video purportedly showing the FIFA World Cup ball, the Trionda, being manufactured.
DUBAWA decided to fact-check it due to its potential to mislead the public.
Verification
DUBAWA conducted a Google reverse image search and found that the video was originally shared by Mass and Methods on TikTok, where it was labelled as AI-generated content.
Mass and Methods is a TikTok account that generates AI content.
Forensic checks conducted with the Deepware Scanner indicated a 55-59 per cent likelihood that the video was digitally manipulated. Even though the creator has indicated it is an AI-generated digital tool, the digital tool score suggests a deepfake was well-made, causing the scanning tool to miss aspects of the manipulation.
Screenshot of Deepware Scanner results/source: Deepware Scanner
Key observations of the video showed features of a deepfake
- Inconsistent visuals: The video displays visual inconsistencies commonly associated with AI-generated content.
- The ball in the video bears the label ‘FIFA 2028 World Cup,’ which is incorrect because the tournament is the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
- The video appears to show the ball being made from a meat-like material, which is factually incorrect. A verified explanation of Trionda’s manufacturing process contradicts this depiction.
- The Trionda was manufactured by Forward Sport in Pakistan, an Adidas manufacturing partner.
Conclusion
DUBAWA fact-check established that the video was originally posted by Mass and Methods, a TikTok account dedicated to AI-generated content. Forensic checks conducted using Deepware Scanner showed a 55 to 59 per cent possibility of the video being digitally manipulated. Although the account indicated the content is AI-generated, the relatively moderate scanner score suggests the deepfake was sufficiently well-produced to cause the tool to miss aspects of the manipulation. The video contains additional visual indicators of AI generation, including inconsistent visuals and an inaccurate ball label reading ‘FIFA 2028 World Cup.’ The claim that it shows the actual production of the 2026 FIFA World Cup ball is therefore false.
