From official balls to replicas… World Cup soccer balls were made in Pakistan this way

• Nearly 70% of the world’s soccer balls are made in Sialkot in eastern Pakistan.
• A factory in Sialkot makes replica balls for the FIFA World Cup in Qatar and fans can buy them.
• Let’s take a look at how a soccer ball is made, along with photos.

Pakistan will play a major role in the 2022 FIFA World Cup. They make replicas of the balls used on the Qatari pitch and fans around the world can buy them.

Most of the world’s soccer balls are made in Sialkot, Pakistan. This manufacturer, Bola Gema Pakistan, produces 160,000 soccer balls monthly.

First, a special machine is used to form heated rubber into a sheet, which is then cut into circles.

This will be the “content” of the ball.

When inflated…

Put it in a special machine and heat it for a few minutes to harden the rubber.

Here in the workshop, the person in charge cuts the outer panel of the ball. 20 hexagons and 12 pentagons are used in one ball.

Using a sewing machine, sew this up.

At this workshop, we use a technique called Thermo-Bonding, which uses heat to create the highest quality soccer balls. Balls made using this technique have no seams.

Make sure the ball weighs between 420-440 grams. At 433 grams, this ball is a perfect fit for a FIFA-approved soccer ball. These balls cost over $100 in the US.

Before shipping, the final test is done using this machine. Toss the ball at least 2,000 times to see if there are any loose seams, peeling wax, or misshapen pieces.

Once the test is over, we use this machine to deflate the balls and wait for them to be shipped around the world.

The industry continues to be a major source of income for Pakistani people. There are more than 1,000 soccer ball factories in Sialkot alone, and nearly 60,000 people work in these factories.