First look at Puma’s new Premier League ball as Nike’s 25-year partnership comes to an end… but will it please Mikel Arteta after his bizarre Carabao Cup complaints?

Puma have unveiled their first-ever Premier League ball for the 2025-26 campaign, following the start of their new lucrative deal.

Following 25 years of partnership, the Premier League opted to end their ball deal with Nike at the end of last season.

Puma are already the manufacturer of both the LaLiga and Serie A ball, while the Puma Orbita 1 was also in use in the Carabao Cup last season.

And now the sportswear brand have premiered the Orbita Ultimate PL for the very first time.

The ball will be in use for the Premier League’s Summer Series pre-season event in July, before the the top flight kicks off on August 16.

‘The launch of the new ball, which will be seen in play for the first time during the Premier League Summer Series, marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter,’ said the Premier League’s Chief Commercial Officer, Will Brass.

Mikel Arteta bizarrely moaned about the Carabao Cup Puma ball during Arsenal’s defeat by Newcastle in January

‘We are thrilled to welcome PUMA as a key partner in our efforts to enhance the Premier League, both on and off the pitch. We can’t wait to see the ball in action, delivering unforgettable goals and moments for players and fans alike.’

Puma’s match ball hit controversy last season in rather bizarre fashion, following Arsenal’s Carabao Cup semi-final first-leg defeat to eventual winners Newcastle.

During the game, in which they lost 2-0, the Gunners failed to score despite having 23 shots at goal.

But rather than blame his sides poor finishing that night at the Emirates, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta took aim at the way the ball moved.

He said: ‘We also kicked a lot of balls over the bar, and it’s tricky that these balls fly a lot so there’s details that we can do better.

‘It’s just different. It’s very different to the Premier League ball and you have to adapt to that. It flies different… when you touch it, the grip is very different as well so you have to adapt to that.’

It’s a ball that Arteta is going to have to get used to seeing his players kick about when they bid to upgrade their second-placed finish next season.