Friday 19 December 2025

Friday 19 December 2025

Morocco’s Unanimous Choice to Host AFCON-2025 Is fruit of Long Development Process (Italian Media Outlet)

Rome – The unanimous choice of Morocco to host the 35th edition of the African Cup of Nations (AFCON-2025) “is not the fruit of chance”, but of a long process of development in various sectors, stressed the Italian news portal “Faro Di Roma” on Thursday.

Under the leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, Morocco has become “a model for Africa, particularly in terms of its high-quality sports infrastructure, which has enabled it to organize several major competitions,” says the media outlet.

The organization of the AFCON-2025 is the reward for a development process carried out by the Kingdom for more than two decades in various sectors, it noted, adding that Morocco will have the opportunity to “deploy its vast experience in the organization of major events in all fields, thanks to a network of modern and developed infrastructures.”

According to the online media, the stadiums dedicated to the event meet CAF requirements and are ready to host the competition, in Rabat as well as in Casablanca, Tangiers, Fez, Marrakech and Agadir. The Kingdom also boasts over 200 artificial turf training pitches and almost 20 natural turf pitches, equipped with top-level lighting, it said.

According to the media outlet, these high-quality sports facilities have enabled Morocco to organize several major sporting events in recent years, including the Club World Cup, the African Nations Championship (CHAN), the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) for the U17 and U23 teams, the Women’s CAN, as well as the African Women’s Champions League.

Faro Di Roma emphasized that “on the strength of its capabilities and wealth of experience in organizing major sporting competitions, the Kingdom’s ambition is to make the second African Cup of Nations to be held on its soil, after the 1988 event, a successful event at every level, and one that will stand out from the 34 previous editions.”

Highlighting ”Morocco’s determination to contribute to developing African football,” the portal notes that this vote ”reaffirms the Kingdom’s commitment, under the High Royal Instructions, to consolidate South-South cooperation with African countries, on the path to their development in various fields.”

“It is also the finest reward for a people passionate about football,” it adds, noting that this major event is “a first step, which initiates and strengthens the bid for the 2030 World Cup, presented jointly with Spain and Portugal.”

MAP

Related news

The Confederation of African Football (CAF), and the Local Organising Committee (LOC) have unveiled the Official Mascot for the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2025, “ASSAD,” a vibrant symbol of African pride and football passion.

Inspired by the Atlas lion, one of Morocco’s most iconic national symbols and a unifying and powerful figure across the African continent, his name means “lion” in Arabic, CAF said on its website, adding that it embodies strength, pride and cultural authenticity that resonates deeply with fans both in Morocco and throughout Africa.

As an ambassador for the tournament, ASSAD embodies the joy, passion and energy that define Africa’s most prestigious football competition, the same source emphasized, adding that he will play a crucial role in building an emotional connection and engaging audiences of all ages, especially children and families, who are central to football’s culture and its future.

ASSAD will play a leading role in fan engagement across stadiums, fan zones, and community events. He will support global marketing and promotional campaigns, enrich digital content and interactive experiences, and contribute to CAF’s long-term brand narrative.

ASSAD’s visual identity rests on a friendly, youthful lion whose expressive features and energetic personality reflect the warmth, creativity and diversity of Africa. His color palette and overall style align seamlessly with the TotalEnergies CAF AFCON Morocco 2025 brand, ensuring a unified and dynamic tournament look.

Conceived beyond the TotalEnergies CAF AFCON Morocco 2025, ASSAD is fully in line with the long term vision for the future African football. He will continue to feature in CAF grassroots and youth development programs, school and community football initiatives, and future digital storytelling.

As a long-term ambassador for African football, ASSAD aims to inspire and connect with the next generation across the continent, CAF added.

With ASSAD leading the way, the TotalEnergies CAF AFCON Morocco 2025 is poised to deliver an unforgettable experience, celebrating unity, pride, and the power of African football. The introduction of ASSAD represents a major milestone in shaping the tournament’s character and deepening its cultural impact, CAF concluded.

Inspired by the Atlas lion, one of Morocco’s most iconic national symbols and a unifying and powerful figure across the African continent, his name means “lion” in Arabic, CAF said on its website, adding that it embodies strength, pride and cultural authenticity that resonates deeply with fans both in Morocco and throughout Africa.

As an ambassador for the tournament, ASSAD embodies the joy, passion and energy that define Africa’s most prestigious football competition, the same source emphasized, adding that he will play a crucial role in building an emotional connection and engaging audiences of all ages, especially children and families, who are central to football’s culture and its future.

ASSAD will play a leading role in fan engagement across stadiums, fan zones, and community events. He will support global marketing and promotional campaigns, enrich digital content and interactive experiences, and contribute to CAF’s long-term brand narrative.

ASSAD’s visual identity rests on a friendly, youthful lion whose expressive features and energetic personality reflect the warmth, creativity and diversity of Africa. His color palette and overall style align seamlessly with the TotalEnergies CAF AFCON Morocco 2025 brand, ensuring a unified and dynamic tournament look.

Conceived beyond the TotalEnergies CAF AFCON Morocco 2025, ASSAD is fully in line with the long term vision for the future African football. He will continue to feature in CAF grassroots and youth development programs, school and community football initiatives, and future digital storytelling.

As a long-term ambassador for African football, ASSAD aims to inspire and connect with the next generation across the continent, CAF added.

With ASSAD leading the way, the TotalEnergies CAF AFCON Morocco 2025 is poised to deliver an unforgettable experience, celebrating unity, pride, and the power of African football. The introduction of ASSAD represents a major milestone in shaping the tournament’s character and deepening its cultural impact, CAF concluded.

 In coordination with the relevant Moroccan authorities and the Confederation of African Football (CAF), the Local Organizing Committee informs all supporters of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco that electronic visas to Morocco via the Yalla app for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) are now free of charge.

In a press release shared on Tuesday, the organizing committee reiterated that the FAN ID is mandatory for access to any stadium hosting the 2025 AFCON in Morocco, noting that applications for electronic visas and FAN IDs are processed simultaneously on the Yalla app.

According to the same source, the official website for the Yalla app for obtaining a FAN ID is: https://www.yallamorocco.ma. 

“In order to better assist applicants, a dedicated customer service line (+212 5 30 30 20 30) has been launched,” the press release says, adding that it is available in three languages (Arabic, English, and French) and has a team on hand to answer any questions and assist users 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

“Applicants can also contact the support team via email at [email protected],” the same source adds.

“The organizing committee would like to thank all the fans, media, delegations, and partners for their enthusiasm and reaffirms its commitment to ensuring an optimal experience for everyone,” the press release concludes.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF), in partnership with leading global sports brand PUMA, unveiled on Monday the Official Match Ball for the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), which will be held in Morocco in 2025.

Named ITRI, the ball draws inspiration from Morocco’s centuries-old zellij art form – renowned for its intricate geometric mosaics – whilst symbolising the unity and passion of African football across the continent, CAF said on its official website.

The name also pays tribute to the star featured on the Moroccan flag and reflects the star patterns that hold significance in traditional zellij craftsmanship, the same source added, noting that the ball will make its first appearance during the competition’s opening match on December 21, 2025.

The ball’s striking design incorporates traditional Moroccan zellij geometric patterns, characterized by central star geometry, floral petal outlines and circular symmetry, CAF explained, noting that each design element carries cultural significance.

Among other things, the star symbolizes ambition, light, and the pursuit of excellence on Africa’s biggest footballing stage, while the petals represent celebration, growth, and the festive spirit that defines the TotalEnergies CAF AFCON. The circular symmetry reflects the unity of the 24 nations coming together for the tournament.

The unique design also features ‘Flow of Movement’ patterns that capture the distinctive rhythm and dynamic playing style of African football. The ball’s red and green colour palette expresses passion, hope and pride while also paying homage to Morocco’s national identity.

The Confédération Africaine de Football (CAF) announced the extension of the Media Accreditation for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2025 to Monday, 20 October 2025, due to a high global demand.

In a press release on its official website, CAF says it has received unprecedented interest from all over the world from media representatives, reflecting the great interest in this edition, stressing that this huge demand has necessitated an extension by CAF.

To ensure that media who are experiencing challenges either with their media applications for accreditation or to access to the media channel are attended to, CAF has also allocated additional resources and human capital.

Additionally, CAF has established a dedicated media services planning desk for all media to be based in Rabat at the Main Media Centre, noting that it is already operational at the CAF Rabat Office.

The AFCON finals will take place from December 21, 2025 to January 18, 2026. 

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) decided, on Thursday, to delay the opening of the first phase of ticket sales for the Morocco 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in order to finalize important details that will ensure the best possible fan experience.

“CAF is working with the Local Organizing Committee (“LOC”) and various stakeholders and will announce a new date for the first phase of the ticket sales in due course,” the African body said in a press release.

“CAF apologizes for any inconvenience caused,” the same source added.

The Moroccan national team of local players lost 1-0 to their Kenyan counterpart in the third matchday of Group A in the African Nations Championship (CHAN 2024), held this Sunday in Nairobi.

The winning goal for Kenya was scored by Rambok Ryan Wesley Ogam in the 42nd minute.

The Moroccan team, which was exempt from the second matchday, now has three points from two matches.

The other match in this group will see Zambia face Angola.

(MAP:10 August 2025)