In partnership with football brand Mitre has unveiled a world-first GPS-enabled connected football currently under development, marking a major step forward in how players will soon be able to train, develop and perform.

Set to officially launch in Summer 2026 with preorders starting in March,this innovation is being developed to seamlessly integrate PlayerData, known for its FIFA-quality GPS technology, directly within the ball itself. By removing the need for external local positioning systems (LPS) or optical tracking, the ConnectedBall is designed to significantly reduce cost and complexity, making advanced performance insight more accessible across the game, through a subscription model. Coaches and players will be able to simply “roll it out of the bag and play”, with the ball capturing rich, real-time data as part of everyday training.

PlayerData is a sports technology company that currently supports over 50,000 athletes and coaches worldwide through wearable GPS trackers and performance analysis tools. Known for delivering elite-level insights across multiple sports, PlayerData focuses on improving performance, reducing injury risk, and making data-driven development accessible at every level of the game.

Game-Changing Innovation in Player Development

While physical GPS data is now widely used to track athlete load and movement, technical and tactical data remains largely under-measured - despite skill execution and tactical decision-making being fundamental to success in football.

TheMitre x PlayerData Connected Ball is being developed to bridge this gap. Once launched and available to purchase, it will be capable of combining technical and tactical ball data with physical GPS metrics for the first time, creating amore holistic view of training demands and player development.

This innovation is designed to allow coaches, analysts, and sports scientists to track metrics such as kick volume, pass distance and velocity, and ball touches across training cycles - providing objective insight into technical development and the implementation of a manager’s playing style.

-When released, the Connected Ball will be designed to support coaches by enabling them to:

-Use live ball-tracking software to assess whether training sessions are delivering intended tactical and technical outcomes

-Track player touches, passes, ball velocity, and time on the ball

-Quantify total player load by combining physical, technical, and tactical demands - helping to reduce injury risk and identify hidden loads, such as additional striking drills not captured by wearable GPS

-Support return-to-play processes by comparing post-injury kick metrics against pre-injury benchmarks

The technology is also expected to play a future role in technical and tactical development, rehabilitation, and talent identification by providing objective measures of technical competency and kicking performance.

Accessible Technology for All Levels

Designed with scalability and affordability in mind, the Mitre x PlayerData Connected Ball aims to bring elite-level data insight to every level of football - from grassroots environments to the professional game.

Purpose-built for training, planned features include a 6-8-hour battery life, wireless charging, and seamless integration with the PlayerData GPS platform, creating a plug-and-play experience once commercially available.

Fast, Accurate, and Engaging

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Following launch, ball data will upload automatically to the cloud and be accessible within minutes via the PlayerData app. Initial metrics planned for release include:

-Touches and time on ball

-Pass counts and distances

-Average and maximum ball velocity

These insights are designed to unlock a new layer of technical and tactical analysis, while also helping to gamify skill development and keep training engaging and measurable.

A New Era for Football Innovation

The Mitre x PlayerData Connected Ball represents a collaboration between two performance pioneers with a shared ambition: to make world-class football technology accessible to everyone.

By merging Mitre’s heritage in ball design, using the iconic FIFA Quality Pro certified Ultimax as the base upon which to integrate PlayerData’s cutting-edge technology, this launch sets a new benchmark for innovation in football - a ball that doesn’t just play the game, it understands the game.

To learn how you could be amongst the first to access this groundbreaking ball, visit: playerdata.com/mitre