The new 2010 World Cup ball is named `` Jabulani '' , which means `` to celebrate '' in Zulu . Not since 1986 has the World Cup used a leather ball -- and the `` Jabulani '' is far removed from its more simple parent with eight thermally-bonded panels used in its construction . Adidas rrigorously tested the ball in their specially made wind tunnel in Scheinfeld , Germany . They also used a special material called Kevlar that was developed by Nike and has been adopted as standard for all football balls since 2009.
The new 2010 World Cup ball is named `` Jabulani '' , which means `` to celebrate '' in Zulu . Adidas rrigorously tested the ball in their specially made wind tunnel in Scheinfeld , Germany . They also used a special material called Kevlar that was developed by Nike and has been adopted as standard for all football balls since 2009.