CAF and PUMA unveil special ‘ITRI’ match ball ahead of AFCON 2025 final

As the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2025 approaches its climax, the Confédération Africaine de Football (CAF), in partnership with global sports brand PUMA, has unveiled a special edition of the tournament’s official match ball ahead of the final between Morocco and Senegal.

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The commemorative ball, a unique version of the official ITRI match ball, will be used in Sunday’s showpiece encounter at the Stade Prince Moulay Abdellah in Rabat. Named ITRI, the official match ball was originally launched by CAF and PUMA in November 2025 as the tournament’s standard ball and has been used throughout the competition.

The design draws heavily on Moroccan cultural heritage, incorporating traditional zellij geometric patterns, an art form characterised by intricate mosaics, star shapes, floral petal motifs and circular symmetry.

These motifs celebrate both the host nation’s identity and the collective unity of Africa’s 24 competing teams.For the final, CAF and PUMA have introduced a special edition of ITRI with gold accents, a tribute to the two finalists and the importance of the championship match.

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The gold trim gives an added ceremonial dimension to the ball, symbolising prestige and achievement on football’s biggest African stage.Beyond aesthetics, the ITRI ball is built on PUMA’s advanced Orbita 6 technology, which blends heritage design with performance innovation.

The technology is designed to ensure precision, consistency and durability at the highest levels of competition, meeting the rigorous demands of elite football. The original ITRI ball was first revealed earlier in the AFCON build-up and officially debuted in the tournament opener on 21 December 2025.

Its colour palette, featuring red and green which pays homage to the Moroccan flag, while the geometric elements convey deeper symbolic meanings: star geometry represents ambition and excellence, floral patterns reflect celebration and growth, and symmetrical circles signify the unity of nations converging for the event.

CAF’s Creative Development Manager, Mohamed Ghonemi, described the ball as a fusion of “art, motion and African spirit,” designed to reflect not only the beauty of Moroccan craftsmanship but also the dynamic rhythm of African football.

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Similarly, PUMA officials have emphasised the collaboration as part of the brand’s enduring commitment to African football and its communities. The special edition ITRI will feature in the final on 18 January 2026, when hosts Morocco and Senegal meet to decide the continent’s top national team.

As one of the last symbols introduced ahead of the definitive match, the commemorative ball highlights both cultural pride and sporting excellence in Africa’s premier football tournament.