Football marketing, especially for tournaments, covers a lot of things that both the organizers and the fans put key emphasis on as part of the brand visibility.
Over the years, across several Leagues and tournaments, the official match ball that is used has been a prized item that considers a lot of things such as quality, trends, heritage and culture, among others.
The Africa Cup of Nations has not been left out, with CAF alongside the tournament-organising countries outdoing themselves to find a perfect matchball for a particular tournament.
The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, which is just 22 days away, will have Itiri as the official match ball for the tournament.
Unveiled by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and PUMA in November 2025, the ball’s design blends Moroccan cultural heritage with advanced performance technology.
Itiri means “star” in the Amazigh language, paying homage to the star on the Moroccan flag and the star patterns in traditional Moroccan art. The ball’s aesthetic is inspired by zellij, a centuries-old Moroccan art form known for its intricate geometric mosaics.
The design elements symbolise different aspects of African football and unity. It represents ambition, light, and the pursuit of excellence.
The petal shapes evoke celebration, growth, and the festive spirit of the tournament while the circular symmetry reflects the unity of the 24 nations participating in the AFCON.
The Itiri ball is built on PUMA’s advanced Orbita 6 technology, featuring an eight-panel structure for optimal touch, flight, and precision required for elite-level competition. It incorporates the bold red and green colours of the Moroccan national identity.
Let’s look at the official match balls used in the previous nine editions of the Africa Cup of Nations.
Pokou – 2023 AFCON Ivory Coast
The Official match ball, POKOU, was named after Ivorian legendary forward Laurent Pokou, a legend of African football whose five goals in the 6-1 victory over Ethiopia at the 1970 edition of the Africa Cup of Nations remain a record during the Final competition.
POKOU featured the three main colours of the Cote d’Ivoire flag – white, orange and green, whilst incorporating the latest technology that revolutionises the game on the continent and beyond.
Toghu – AFCON 2021 Cameroon
Manufactured and designed by Umbro, Toghu was the official match ball for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon, which was held in 2022. It was named after the traditional Toghu attire from the North West of Cameroon. A special “Toghu Final” version with a red pattern was used for the knockout stage and final match.
Umbro Nea Pro – AFCON 2019 Egypt
The official match ball for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations was the Umbro Neo Pro. It was designed with inspiration from the colours of the Egyptian flag and was FIFA certified. The ball featured a textured Teijin Microfibre outer casing, a five-layer construction with a latex bladder, and a hand-stitched 14-panel design to ensure durability, accuracy, and zero water absorption.
Mitre Delta Hyperseam – AFCON 2017 Gabon
The official match ball for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) was the Mitre Delta Hyperseam, manufactured by Mitre. It was a white ball with black, orange, and green triangular graphics, featuring the Hyperseam technology that fuses stitched and bonded seams for a combination of benefits from both construction methods.
Marhaba – AFCON 2015 Equatorial Guinea
The Africa Cup ball 2015, Marhaba, was made based on the European Qualifiers 2016 ball and inspired by the contrasting landscapes of the continent, and the azure sky.
The Africa Cup ball 2015 went through a rigorous testing process in different conditions. Technologies used in the Marhaba ball are similar to the technologies which were used in Brazuca, the official ball for the World Cup 2014.
Katlego – AFCON 2013 South Africa
Manufactured by Adidas and named the Katlego, which means “success” in the Tswana language, the name was chosen by African football fans via an online voting competition where it beat alternate names, Khanya (light) and Motswako (mixture).
Adidas Comoequa – AFCON 2012 Equatorial Guinea and Gabon
The official match ball for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations was the Adidas Comoequa, named after the Como River that runs through co-hosts Gabon and Equatorial Guinea, and the equator. The ball featured a bright yellow colour inspired by African culture and shared its construction with the Adidas Tango 12, the ball used for the 2012 UEFA Euro.
Jabulani – AFCON 2010 Angola
The official match ball for the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) was the Adidas Jabulani Angola, a version of the Adidas Jabulani ball used for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
The “Angola” version was specifically colored to represent the yellow, red, and black of the host nation, Angola’s flag.
Wawa Aba – AFCON 2008 Ghana
Wawa Aba was the name for the official match ball for the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations hosted by Ghana.
The Adidas ball was named after an Akan symbol. The name “Wawa Aba” means “the seed of the Wawa tree,” and symbolises durability, toughness, and perseverance. The design incorporated the colours of the host nation, Ghana: red, yellow, and green.