- There are many types and sizes of football available, suitable for different players and games
- Size 5 footballs are the most common adult match football sizes
- Mitre footballs are some of the most popular across the UK
- IMS certification means a football is of regulated match standard when fully inflated
- We stock a range of IMS match footballs, including Precision, Derbystar, Puma, and Mitre footballs
Picking The Right Football For Your Game
People have always found a way to make goalposts out of anything to play a game of football, including jumpers, bags, and sticks. There’s only one thing we really need to get a game of football to break out - and that’s a football!
A football can be different sizes, and it can be different materials. The quality of a football can be different, the inflation levels, the amount of panels used to construct it, different leagues and competitions use different brands - from Mitre footballs to the new Al Rihla adidas football for the World Cup.
What football you use can depend on your age, the leagues you play in, or just come down to personal preference.
What Size of Football Should I Use?
The two most common sizes of football are size 5 which is for adults and the size professionals use, and size 4 which is a training football. Size 4 footballs are good for youngsters practising as they develop. Size 5 footballs are the standard size for any typical football match.
What’s the Difference Between a Training Football and a Match Football?
The main difference you will notice between a training football and a match football is the price! Match footballs are typically built to a much higher standard, designed for more intense use in shorter periods, i.e. during a match. Usually, they contain a layer of foam with a softer bladder type for a better feel when controlling or striking the ball.
A training football is designed for more frequent use. Materials are longer-lasting, sacrificing some of the hand-stitched quality elements a match football brings for added longevity.
What is an IMS / FIFA Quality Match Football?
A match football, like the Mitre Delta SPFL league football, is checked and approved by FIFA and other relevant authorities to ensure it is at the highest level of quality and suitable for use in a professional game. The main points for consideration in a ball being awarded an IMS or FIFA Quality mark are:
- Weight: A quality inflated match football should weigh 420-445g
- Circumference: All footballs must be the same size, which for a match standard size 5 football is 68.5 - 69.5cm
- Roundness: A ball must be perfectly spherical or it will affect movement. A FIFA Quality ball is measured over 45,000 points
- Bounce: To test a ball’s bounce, it is dropped on steel plating from 2m high. The ball, in various conditions, should bounce 135 - 155cm each time
- Water absorption: Balls are tested to ensure they can’t retain more than 10% of their capacity in water
- Pressure retention: An IMS match ball must hold pressure levels for 72 hours without loss of 20% pressure to pass
Mitre Footballs Used Across Professional Football Leagues in the UK
Many match footballs will be available in yellow to cater for darker and wintery conditions to improve visibility. Mitre footballs are very commonly available in both white and yellow for safe use, such as the Mitre Delta Max SPFL 22/23 used in the Scottish Premiership.
Other top leagues have representative brands for their match footballs, including Nike who supply the Premier League Flight ball for the 22/23 English Premier League, Derbystar who manufacture the Bundesliga Brilliant APS for the German top flight, or the Eredivisie Brilliant for the Dutch premier league.
Pick Up Your Training or Match Football at Greaves Sports
Whether you are getting a football for a 7-a-side game, for an amateur 11s football match, or for kicking in the park - make sure you get the right football to get the best from your game. At Greaves, we have an extensive range of size 4 and size 5 footballs, including training and match footballs.
