August 24,2021
PR64-S07

Molten to Supply Official Match Ballfor the AFC Asian Qualifiers – Road to Qatar
Molten Corporation (Headquarters: Nishi-ku, Hiroshima City, Japan; President and CEO: KiyoTamiaki), a manufacturer of competition quality sports balls and equipment, will provide the official
match ball for the AFC Asian Qualifiers – Road to Qatar hosted by the Asian Football Confederation(hereinafter AFC; headquarters: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; President: Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al
Khalifa). With the supply of the match balls, Molten brand balls will be used in club competitions,including the Asian Champions League 2021 and the AFC Cup 2021.
Molten's flagship model, the Vantaggio 5000 AFC, will be the official match ball for the AFC AsianQualifiers – Road to Qatar and will be used in all the games played from September 2021 to March2022.

Kiyo Tamiaki, president & CEO of Molten Corporation, commented:
We are thrilled that Molten balls will be used in Asia's top-level competition, the AFC Asian Qualifiers –Road to Qatar. Molten continues to develop and provide the absolute highest quality products withtechnological innovation for the greater football community to fulfill the brand statement “For the realgame”. We will continue to demonstrate our commitment to excellence and contribute to the continued
success of the Asian Football.

１.Design
The official ball was developed based on
the Molten's flagship football model, the Vantaggio 5000,
and designed using the AFC's logo colors of blue and yellow.

2. ACENTEC structure
Molten’s unique thermal bonding technology produces aCushion
foam

Seamless surface
structuresmooth, seamless cover that cannot be accomplished byhand sewing. The result is uniform surface and reducedwater absorption, ensuring exceptional performance thatis not affected by weather conditions.

A tube layer retains the3. Improved flight stability
The new surface finish and texture have improved theflight of the ball, allowing players to elevate their gamewith more accurate passing and shooting.

4. Adopting new valve
Adopting a new valve reduces friction (40% compared to the current Vantaggio model) when inflating theball, making it more resistant to damage.
Note : Apply a lubricant such as glycerin (or soapy water) to the pump needle when inflating the ball.

■Scheduled events-AFC Asian Qualifiers – Road to Qatar
September 2021 to March 2022

■About the AFC

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) is the governing body of Asian football and one of the six
Confederations making up FIFA. Established in 1954, the AFC is headquartered in Kuala Lumpur,Malaysia, and comprises 47 Member Associations. The AFC organises the AFC Asian Cup and theAFC Women’s Asian Cup, which are the flagship Continental national team competitions, while theAFC Champions League is the premier competition for Asian clubs, drawing millions of fans to thebeautiful game across the length and breadth of the Continent and beyond.

■About Molten

Molten, a manufacturer of balls and sports equipment, has been making and marketing basketballs,handballs, soccer balls, and volleyballs, of uncompromising quality since 1958. Molten continues toraise global standards, supplying the official game balls and sports equipment for major leagues, teams
and international tournaments around the world.
For further information, please visit www.molten.co.jp/sports/en/

■For the real game

Molten's brand statement, "For the real game", encapsulates what we hope to accomplish through ourproducts and activities. It is our conviction that the real game happens only when impeccable balls andsports equipment enable athletes to realize their full potential and maximize performance.

■Product image data (JPEG) is also available
Contact: Ryo Kurahashi

International Market Sales & Marketing Department Sports Division Molten Corporation
Tel: (+81-3)3625-7648 Fax: (+81-3)3625-7738