Arjun Menon
The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) will be staged in Morocco from 21 December 2025 to 18 January 2026, with Ivory Coast entering the tournament as defending champions after their 2023 triumph over Nigeria.
As preparations continue for the 35th edition of Africa’s flagship international competition, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has officially unveiled the tournament’s logo — a design that has already sparked widespread discussion across the continent and beyond.
AFCON 2025 Tournament Overview
The final will be held in Rabat on 18 January 2026, the same city that hosted the group-stage draw on 27 January. The 24 qualified teams have been placed into six groups of four, with the top two teams from each group — along with the four best third-placed sides — advancing to the knockout phase.
The Official AFCON 2025 Logo
CAF unveiled the official TotalEnergies CAF AFCON Morocco 2025 logo at an event in Rabat, describing it as a celebration of African heritage, unity and resilience. The design is inspired by “zellige” (or zellij), a traditional mosaic art form deeply associated with Moroccan and North African architecture.
The logo reimagines the iconic AFCON trophy, adorned with intricate geometric patterns that blend football’s precision with centuries-old craftsmanship. According to CAF, the concept positions football as a canvas where creativity, passion and teamwork come together.
The colour palette is also rich in symbolism:
- Gold represents achievement and excellence
- Green symbolises unity
- Red reflects resilience and strength
- Blue conveys boundless potential
CAF described the logo as a bridge between tradition and modernity, with every pattern echoing how individual moments in football combine to create something greater.
Cultural Controversy and Regional Tensions
While the logo has been widely praised in Morocco, its unveiling has reignited a long-standing cultural debate between Morocco and Algeria over the origins and ownership of zellige.
Several Algerian media outlets and commentators criticised the design, arguing that zellige is not exclusive to Morocco but a shared North African art form found in cities such as Tlemcen in Algeria and Kairouan in Tunisia.
Algerian outlet DZFoot commented that the logo appeared to reference earlier disputes, stating that Morocco had not moved on from previous controversies linking zellige to Algerian football.
Roots of the Dispute
The tension dates back to 2022, when Morocco’s Ministry of Culture issued a legal warning to Adidas following the release of an Algerian national team training kit featuring mosaic patterns inspired by the El Mechouar Palace in Tlemcen.
Morocco argued at the time that the design constituted cultural appropriation of Moroccan heritage, adding another layer to already strained diplomatic relations between the two neighbours.
Since then, Morocco has taken steps to protect the craft internationally, including registering Fez zellige with the World Intellectual Property Organization, highlighting its historical roots dating back to the 10th century.
Reception in Morocco
In contrast, reaction within Morocco has been overwhelmingly positive. Supporters on social media described the logo as an authentic reflection of Moroccan identity and a proud showcase of national craftsmanship.
The unveiling video released by CAF further reinforced this narrative, featuring a traditional artisan working in a medina-style workshop, assembling the mosaic elements that form the trophy emblem — a visual tribute to Morocco’s handicraft tradition.
Football, Culture and AFCON 2025
CAF and the Moroccan organising committee have stressed that the logo’s intention is to celebrate Africa as a whole, not to deepen regional divides. However, the reaction underlines how deeply cultural symbolism can resonate — and polarise — in the build-up to major sporting events.
As anticipation grows ahead of kick-off in December, the AFCON 2025 logo has already ensured that the tournament will be discussed not only for its footballing drama, but also for the cultural narratives surrounding it.
Final Thoughts
Whether viewed as a unifying emblem or a source of controversy, the AFCON 2025 logo has undeniably succeeded in placing African culture, history and identity at the centre of the tournament’s story.
When the action begins in Morocco this December, the focus will return to the pitch — but the debate surrounding the logo serves as a reminder that AFCON is always about more than just football.