CAF Unveils “Assad” as Official Mascot for AFCON Morocco 2025

With excitement building ahead of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2025, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and the Local Organising Committee have officially unveiled Assad, the tournament’s mascot and the new symbolic face of African football’s biggest event.

Assad draws his inspiration from the Atlas Lion, one of Morocco’s strongest national emblems. Fittingly, his name means “lion” in Arabic—a perfect match for a character created to embody strength, pride, resilience, and the unifying spirit of African football. Designed to resonate with fans across the continent, Assad captures both Moroccan identity and the pan-African passion that defines AFCON.

More than just a visual symbol, Assad is positioned as the heartbeat of the tournament—a cheerful, energetic, and family-friendly character whose presence will help bring the competition to life. CAF expects him to foster deeper engagement with supporters of all ages, especially children and families who represent the future of the sport.

Fans will encounter Assad in numerous spaces throughout AFCON Morocco 2025: inside stadiums, fan parks, community outreach events, and on all major digital platforms. He will feature prominently in global marketing campaigns, interactive content, and entertainment segments designed to amplify the excitement around the tournament.

Visually, Assad is portrayed as a youthful and expressive lion with a lively personality. His colour palette and design elements align closely with the official AFCON 2025 branding, contributing to a cohesive and modern identity for this edition of the competition.

CAF has also revealed that Assad is intended to serve as a long-term ambassador for African football, extending far beyond the upcoming tournament. After AFCON 2025, he will continue to appear in grassroots initiatives, school football programmes, youth development projects, and digital storytelling campaigns aimed at inspiring the next generation of African stars.

With Assad stepping into the spotlight, AFCON Morocco 2025 is shaping up to deliver a vibrant celebration of unity, culture, and footballing excellence across the continent. His introduction marks a significant milestone in the tournament’s preparations and reinforces CAF’s vision of elevating the competition’s cultural impact for years to come.

Samuel Ahmadu

Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.

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