Abstract
Soccer balls are constructed with 32 pentagonal and hexagonal panels. More recently Teamgeist 2 and Jabulani balls have 14 and 8 panels, respectively, with dramatically different panel shapes and designs from conventional balls. The latest model called Brazuca, made with 6 panels, has been adopted by 2014 Brazil World Cup. However, there are few studies on the aerodynamic characteristics of these balls. This study examined the trajectory and aerodynamic characteristics of soccer balls constructed with different numbers and shapes of panels. Results of wind tunnel tests indicated that the aerodynamic forces varied significantly according to the number of panels. The results for points of impact showed that the ball trajectory changes dramatically according to panel shape, suggesting that panel shape has significant effects on the flight of the balls.
