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Match Ball Changes: What are FIFA Quality Pro & FIFA Quality balls?
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You may or may not have heard that FIFA have changed their official stamp of approval when it comes to how they grade their match balls.
Originally, the 2 stamps awarded were FIFA Approved & FIFA Inspected. FIFA Approved was reserved for the very highest quality match balls & Inspected was for balls that met requirements for international friendlies & confederation matches.
Although these balls will still be available to buy from Football Nation for the foreseeable future, eventually they will be replaced by the new ratings: FIFA Quality & FIFA Quality Pro.
To be honest, everything's staying much the same in terms of how they test the balls - if you're interested in that feel free to have a check of our previous post on what FIFA Approved means...
What you do need to know, is which one's which...
FIFA Approved is becoming FIFA Quality Pro
FIFA Inspected is becoming FIFA Quality
As before, the FIFA Quality Pro rating will only be given to match balls that meet the very strictest testing by FIFA.
The FIFA Quality rating will go on match balls that are still rigorously tested and are suitable for international friendlies and confederation matches.
As the IMS rating is not issued by FIFA, it remains unchanged. IMS is generally the same grade of match ball as Inspected or FIFA Quality.