Why do different competitions have different footballs?

If you went by looks alone, you’d say very.

But the size, weight, dimensions and pressure for elite competitions is tightly regulated.

The ball specifications are set by the International Football Association Board (Ifab), which publishes the laws of football for all national associations.

The Premier League, and all competitions run by the Football Association, follow Ifab’s ‘Laws of the Game’., external

Balls used in these competitions must be:

These are the dimensions of a size five football – the standard for professional competitions around the world.

According to Ifab, all balls used in official competitions must be tested, then given a ‘Fifa Quality Programme for Footballs’ regulatory mark saying the ball has been approved for use.

Both the FA and EFL said their balls met the requirements.

The FA said it was “confident” Mitre’s Ultimax Pro ball – used in all of the governing body’s competitions – “performs well”, while the EFL said the Puma ball was “used in other major European leagues, including both Serie A and La Liga and our three divisions in the EFL”.