[citation needed] The ball was constructed consisting of eight (down from 14 in the 2006 World Cup) thermally bonded, three-dimensional panels.

The design had received considerable academic input, being developed in partnership with researchers from Loughborough University, United Kingdom.

[11] It was announced on 4 December 2009 that the Jabulani was to be the official match ball of the 2010 FIFA World Cup held in South Africa.

This ball was also used in the 2010 Clausura Tournament of Argentina as well as the 2010 MLS season in the United States and Canada in the league's colours of blue and green.

[19] Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon said, "The new model is absolutely inadequate and I think it's shameful letting play such an important competition, where a lot of champions take part, with a ball like this"[20] while Brazilian striker Luís Fabiano called the ball "supernatural", as it unpredictably changed direction when traveling through the air.

[26] Denmark coach Morten Olsen, after their 1–0 friendly defeat at the hands of Australia, said, "We played with an impossible ball and we need to get used to it.

The Guardian mentioned the FIFA representative, who was queried daily for his opinion on the goal drought, as saying it was probably too early to make a definitive judgment, though it would be hard to deny that the first round was more cagey and defensively minded than usual.

Owen Gibson of The Guardian suggested that a lack of confidence in how the ball would travel could be affecting the number of shots taken.

"[33] In July 2010, former Liverpool footballer Craig Johnston wrote a 12-page open letter to FIFA president Sepp Blatter outlining perceived failings of the Jabulani ball.

He compiled feedback from professional players criticizing the ball for poor performance and asked that it be abandoned by FIFA.

[34][35] Will Prochaska, director of the African social enterprise Alive & Kicking, criticised the decision not to use an African-made ball, such as one by his organisation.

According to secretary general Jérôme Valcke, FIFA will discuss the matter with coaches and teams after the World Cup, then meet with the manufacturer Adidas.

In discussing the mechanics of the balls Rabi Mehta, an aerospace engineer at NASA Ames, described the unpredictable behaviour as "a knuckle-ball effect".