The story
What it is
Sialkot has made footballs for more than a century and produces a large share of the world’s hand-stitched balls.
Factories in the city made the official World Cup match balls for 2014, 2018 and 2022.
Home / Bazaar / Punjab / Sialkot football
Real photo comingA hand-stitched ballThe real thing
Sialkot, PunjabGifts
Sialkot football
Hand-stitched football
فٹبالHow it is said in Urdu
Made in the city that stitched World Cup match balls.
- Made in
- Sialkot, Punjab
- Made from
- Synthetic leather panels, latex bladder
- Stitching
- Hand or machine
- Also from Sialkot
- Cricket gear, hockey sticks, surgical tools
Typical price, before shippingCommission link
$20–60
Find hand-stitched Sialkot balls on Amazon ↗If you buy through this link we may earn a small commission. It never changes your price.
In pictures
The real thing
Photos coming soon. Each frame below says what it will show.
Photo needed
Photo needed
Photo needed
Photo needed
History
Where it comes from
Sialkot’s sports industry grew from leather and woodworking crafts. Today the city exports balls, cricket equipment, gloves and surgical instruments around the world.
How it’s made
From start to finished
Cut the panels
Panels are cut from synthetic leather sheets.
Print
Logos and designs are printed on each panel.
Stitch
Panels are hand-stitched around the bladder with waxed thread.
Test
Balls are inflated and checked for shape and weight.
Kinds
What you will find
Hand-stitched
Traditional, durable, visible seams.
Thermo-bonded
Glued seams used for many modern match balls.
Training balls
Cheaper, tougher balls for practice.
In Pakistan
How people live with it
Football is played on streets and dusty grounds all over Pakistan, and Sialkot supplies clubs and brands across the world.
Caring for it
- Store slightly deflated.
- Wipe clean. Do not leave it in the sun.
Buy it well
How to spot the real thing
- Hand-stitched balls show stitch lines in the seams.
- Look for Fair Trade certification if you care how stitchers are paid.
- Adult balls are size 5. Children under 12 usually play with size 4.
Where to buy
Sellers who ship abroad
Commission link
Amazon
We may earn a small commission. Your price is the same.
Find hand-stitched Sialkot balls on Amazon ↗Typical price: $20–60, before shipping. Read the “Buy it well” checks above before you order, and ask the seller for photos of the exact piece.
Questions
People also ask
Is my branded ball made in Sialkot?
Many are. Check the label for “Made in Pakistan”.
Keep exploring
More from the road
Real photo comingA box of Chaunsa mangoesThe real thing
Chaunsa mangoesچونسہ آم
Pakistan’s famous summer mangoes
Sweet, fibre-free and fragrant: the mango Pakistanis argue is the best in the world.
$30–80Direct from maker
Real photo comingA vase from two sidesThe real thing
Multani blue potteryکاشی گری
Hand-painted glazed ceramics
Cobalt and turquoise on white, the colours of Multan’s shrines.
$25–120Commission link
Real photo comingAn open tin with nuts on topThe real thing
Sohan halwaسوہن حلوہ
Dense sweet made with ghee and nuts
Multan’s dense, nutty sweet, sold in round tins.
$12–30Commission link
Real photo comingA carved jewellery boxThe real thing
Chinioti woodworkچنیوٹی فرنیچر
Hand-carved wooden furniture and boxes
Deep floral carving in dark wood, from a town of woodcarvers.
$30–200Direct from maker
Share
Share this
Painting your card…
Stickers have a transparent background. Save one, then add it to an Instagram story, or turn it into a WhatsApp sticker with any sticker-maker app. If Save does nothing, press and hold (or right-click) the image to save it.