NASA to showcase space science and Artemis at 2026 FIFA World Cup Fan Festival in Houston
Exhibit highlights how International Space Station research on ball aerodynamics and mass distribution informs modern match design and officiating technology.
NASA will host an exhibit at the FIFA Fan Festival in Houston from June 11 to July 19, 2026, demonstrating how space research benefits life on Earth. The free event in East Downtown, Houston, will feature insights from the International Space Station and the Artemis program, including a presentation by Johnson Space Center Director Vanessa Wyche and Artemis II crew members on June 20.
The exhibit highlights NASA spinoff technologies, such as aerodynamic research conducted with Adidas that improved the design and performance of official match balls through studies on mass distribution and flight stability. Since 2022, Adidas has embedded electronics inside official match balls to track speed, position, and contact in real time. These sensors add mass that can affect flight if not balanced correctly.
In partnership with the ISS National Laboratory in 2019, researchers used the ISS microgravity environment to study how a soccer ball’s internal mass affects its motion, stability, and rotation. This research informed the development of soccer balls for major international tournaments, including the FIFA World Cup, particularly regarding embedded technologies like match-ball sensors.
NASA engineers at Ames Research Center previously tested the 2014 Adidas Brazuca ball in wind tunnels to study "knuckling" effects caused by unstable airflow across seams. Adjustments in panel shape, seam depth, and surface texture can influence flight consistency, helping determine whether a ball curves, dips, or holds its line during play.
NASA and Adidas are presenting a STEMonstration comparing how differently balanced soccer balls spin and move in microgravity. The experiment shows how the same physics that governs motion in space also shape the game millions watch on Earth.
